Merced County, CA Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)

116 in the A-1, A-1-40, and A-2 agricultural zones rather than being allowed by right or through a lower-tier Administrative Permit. 116 requires a public hearing and discretionary findings, not the ministerial staff review an Administrative Permit gets, so a veterinary practice locating on agriculturally zoned land in the unincorporated county must clear a higher approval bar than most other agricultural service uses on the same table. 64's separate standards. The Code's definitions section describes an 'Animal hospital or veterinarian' as 'a place where domestic animals or household pets are given medical or surgical treatment and are cared for during the time of treatment,' and specifically limits any on-site kennel use to short-term boarding that is 'incidental to the hospital use,' closing off a veterinary CUP from being used to run a full boarding kennel.