LA County Title 10.92 prohibits retail pet stores in unincorporated areas from selling dogs or cats unless sourced from shelters or registered nonprofit rescues. The 2017 county rule preceded California AB-485, which now applies statewide.
Adopted in 2017 ahead of California AB-485, LACO Title 10.92 bars retail pet shops in unincorporated LA County from selling dogs, cats, or rabbits unless they come from a public animal shelter or a registered nonprofit humane organization. Shops must post the source of each animal and keep DACC-inspected records. The rule targeted commercial breeder pipelines and aligned the county with cities that had already banned puppy-mill retail. AB-485 (Cal. Health & Safety Code §122354.5) now imposes the same rule statewide, but the county code remains the primary enforcement tool through DACC and county counsel.
Selling non-rescue dogs, cats, or rabbits at retail is a misdemeanor under Title 10.92, with civil penalties up to five hundred dollars per animal, license revocation, and parallel state enforcement under California Health & Safety Code §122354.5.
See how Long Beach's pet store rules rules stack up against other locations.
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