Animal Ordinances in Chico, CA: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Chico or are thinking about moving there, animal ordinances are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Chico has 7 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of animal ordinances, and some of them might surprise you.

Dog Leash Laws

Chico Municipal Code Title 6 (Animals) prohibits dogs from running at large. Dogs must be restrained on a leash or otherwise under physical control when off the owner's premises. Bidwell Park has dedicated off-leash areas; outside those, leash rules apply throughout city parks and public spaces.

Key details: Code section: CMC Title 6 (Animals); Title 12 (Bidwell Park). Restraint required: Leash or immediate physical control off-premises. Off-leash area: Designated zones in Bidwell Park only. Animal control: Chico Animal Services / Butte County. State backstop: Cal. Food & Agric. Code §30951.

Running-at-large violations are infractions handled by Chico Animal Services; impound fees plus daily boarding apply. Repeat offenders may face misdemeanor charges. Off-leash violations in Bidwell Park outside designated zones may be cited under CMC Title 12 park-use rules.

Chickens & Livestock

Chico Municipal Code (CMC) Title 19.76.040 allows hens as accessory animal keeping at a ratio of 1 bird per 250 sq ft of lot area, with coops set back 50 ft from any dwelling. Roosters are prohibited and no coop permit is required. Larger livestock (goats, horses, cattle) is limited to AG/RR-zoned parcels under Title 19.

Key details: Code Section: CMC §19.76.040 (Animal Keeping). Hen Ratio: 1 bird per 250 sq ft of lot area. Roosters: Prohibited. Coop Setback: 50 ft from any dwelling. Permit Required: No coop permit; no business license.

Violations of Title 19 are enforced through Code Enforcement. A first offense Title 7 animal-related fine is $75, second is $150, third is $300 (CMC §1.16). Rooster nuisance complaints, undersized lot keeping, or setback violations can result in abatement orders.

Beekeeping

Chico does not have a stand-alone hive-density ordinance; beekeeping is regulated as accessory animal keeping under CMC §19.76.040. State law (Cal. Food & Agric. Code §29040) requires every California beekeeper to register apiaries annually with the County Agricultural Commissioner by January 1, regardless of hive count. Butte County administers registration via the state BeeWhere portal.

Key details: Local Code: CMC §19.76.040 (accessory keeping); no hive-density rule. State Registration: Cal. Food & Agric. Code §29040 — annual by Jan 1. Where to Register: BeeWhere (Butte County Ag Commissioner). Hobbyist Fee: $10 (1-9 colonies; often waived). Commercial Fee: $100 (10-49 hives); $250 (50+).

Failure to register an apiary is a violation of state law (Cal. Food & Agric. Code §29040) and can subject the keeper to civil penalties through the County Agricultural Commissioner. Hives causing a documented nuisance in Chico can be abated under CMC Title 8.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Chico gives residents more flexibility on beekeeping.

Breed Restrictions

Chico does not impose breed-specific bans. California Food & Agricultural Code §31683 preempts cities from declaring a dog dangerous or vicious based solely on breed. Chico Municipal Code Title 6 regulates dangerous and vicious dogs based on individual behavior, not breed. Mandatory spay/neuter by breed is permitted under state law but Chico has not enacted breed-targeted spay/neuter.

Key details: Breed ban: None — preempted by Cal. Food & Agric. Code §31683. Breed-specific spay/neuter: Not adopted in Chico (allowed under §122331). Dangerous dog law: CMC Title 6 + Cal. Food & Agric. Code §§31601–31683. Trigger: Individual behavior, not breed. Private restrictions: Landlords/HOAs may restrict breeds contractually.

No breed-based citations exist. Dogs adjudicated 'potentially dangerous' or 'vicious' under CMC Title 6 / state law face confinement, muzzle, insurance, and signage requirements; violations are misdemeanors.

Chico is more permissive than most cities when it comes to breed restrictions. That said, there are still limits.

Exotic Pets

Chico has no local exotic-pet code; the controlling law is state. Cal. Fish & Game Code §2118 and 14 CCR §671 prohibit possession of restricted live wild animals (most primates, large carnivores, non-domestic felids, alligators, venomous reptiles, ferrets, etc.) without a CDFW permit, and CDFW does not issue permits for pet keeping. Common-domestic species (dogs, cats, rabbits, most reptiles, birds in the parrot family) remain legal.

Key details: Local Code: No local exotic-pet chapter; state preempts. Controlling Statute: Cal. Fish & Game Code §2118. Restricted Species List: 14 CCR §671. Ferrets: Banned (no CDFW pet permit issued). Hedgehogs / Sugar Gliders: Banned.

Possession of a restricted species without a permit is a misdemeanor under Cal. Fish & Game Code §12000. CDFW can seize the animal; criminal fines and probation may apply. Chico Animal Services coordinates with CDFW on confiscations.

Compared to other cities, Chico takes a harder line on exotic pets. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Wildlife Feeding

Chico has no city-specific wildlife-feeding prohibition in its Municipal Code; the controlling rule is state. 14 CCR §251.1 defines feeding game and non-game mammals or birds in a way that disrupts normal behavior as 'harassment,' which is a misdemeanor under Cal. Fish & Game Code §12000. Chico Animal Services actively encourages residents to eliminate food sources to prevent conflicts with raccoons, deer, coyotes, skunks, and bears moving in from the Bidwell Park and Camp Fire burn-scar corridor.

Key details: Local Code: No express local feeding ban. State Rule: 14 CCR §251.1 (Harassment via Feeding). Penalty: Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 (FGC §12000). Trash Securing: CMC Title 8 nuisance authority. Enforcement Contact: Chico Animal Services 530-897-4960.

Wildlife harassment (including feeding that disrupts natural behavior) is a misdemeanor under Cal. Fish & Game Code §12000, with fines up to $1,000. Trash and food-attractant nuisances can be abated under CMC Title 8 by Code Enforcement.

Animal Hoarding

Chico Municipal Code Title 7 limits residential dog keeping to 3 dogs over 3 months of age per single street address. Hoarding beyond welfare capacity is prosecuted under Cal. Penal Code §§597 / 597t (cruelty) and §599aa (animal seizure). Title 7 fines escalate from $75 (first offense) to $300 (third offense).

Key details: Dog Limit: 3 dogs over 3 months per single street address (CMC Title 7). Cat Limit: No numeric cap; nuisance-based abatement under CMC Title 8. State Cruelty/Hoarding Statute: Cal. Pen. Code §597, §597t. Seizure Authority: Cal. Pen. Code §599aa. Title 7 Fines: $75 / $150 / $300 escalating.

Exceeding the 3-dog limit without a kennel permit is a Title 7 infraction ($75/$150/$300 escalating). Felony hoarding-cruelty under Cal. Pen. Code §597 carries up to 3 years in state prison and fines up to $20,000. Animals can be seized and impounded under Pen. Code §599aa.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Chico gives residents more room on animal ordinances. 2 of the 7 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

This guide is based on Chico's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.