Animal Ordinances in Fullerton, CA

If you live in Fullerton or are thinking about moving there, animal ordinances are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Fullerton has 10 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of animal ordinances, and some of them might surprise you.

Bird Protection

Feeding ducks, geese or other waterfowl at Laguna Lake or any other public lake or pond in Fullerton is unlawful under FMC § 9.12.208, including feeding within 100 yards of the water. The city says supplemental feeding harms wild bird health and discourages natural migration.

Key details: Named location: Laguna Lake and all city lakes. No-feeding buffer: 100 yards of any restricted area. Release ban: No abandoning waterfowl in restricted areas. Exception authority: City Manager only.

Section 9.12.208(F) makes it unlawful to violate any provision of the section and subjects a violator to criminal penalties under Chapter 1.08 (infraction fines up to $100 first offense, $200 second, $500 for later offenses within a year, or misdemeanor prosecution up to $1,000 and six months in jail) or, alternatively, civil penalties under the Chapter 1.10 administrative citation process.

Wildlife Feeding

Feeding ducks, geese or other waterfowl on or within 100 yards of any public lake, pond, stream or fountain in Fullerton, including Laguna Lake, is illegal under Fullerton Code of Ordinances Section 9.12.208. The ordinance also bars letting a minor in your care do the feeding and bans releasing waterfowl into these areas outright.

Key details: Governing section: FMC § 9.12.208. Restricted zone: Within 100 yards of city waters. Covers: Laguna Lake and all city lakes/ponds. Minors: Caregiver liable for minor's feeding. Exception: City Manager permit, narrow reasons only.

Violating Section 9.12.208 is unlawful and, per subsection (F), triggers criminal penalties under Chapter 1.08 or civil penalties under Chapter 1.10 rather than a fixed in-section fine. Under Chapter 1.08's general schedule, an infraction runs up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year and $500 for later repeats, while a misdemeanor charge can carry a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in county jail.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Fullerton actively enforces its wildlife feeding requirements.

Dog Leash Laws

Inside Fullerton parks, dogs may only go where posted "Domestic Animals Permitted" signs allow, and where they are allowed, Section 9.12.280 requires them to stay on a leash no longer than ten feet at all times. Running dogs at large in a park is expressly barred, and on-duty police canines are exempt.

Key details: Governing section: FMC § 9.12.280 (Domestic Animals). Max leash length: 10 feet in parks. Where allowed: Only posted "Domestic Animals Permitted" areas. At-large ban: Running dogs at large is barred. Exemption: On-duty police canines.

Section 9.12.560 makes any violation of Chapter 9.12, including the leash and off-limits-area rules in Section 9.12.280, a misdemeanor. The Director of Parks and Recreation, park attendants, parking control officers and police officers can eject a violator from the park under Section 9.12.520, and can seize property or a device, such as an oversized leash, used in the violation under Section 9.12.530.

Veterinary Clinic Zoning

Fullerton does not let a veterinary practice open in its General Commercial or Central Business District zones by right. Fullerton Municipal Code section 15.30.030.2(B)(2) requires an animal hospital in the G-C Zoning District to first win a conditional use permit under Chapter 15.70, and the parallel C-3 use table imposes the identical CUP requirement for the Central Business District Commercial zone.

Key details: G-C zone requirement: CUP required, Chapter 15.70. C-3 zone requirement: CUP required, same as G-C. M-P/M-G zones: Veterinary services permitted by right. Parking ratio: 1 space per 182 sq ft. Reduced ratio option: 1 per 250 sq ft, under 5,000 sf.

Opening or operating an animal hospital in a G-C or C-3 zone without an approved CUP is an unpermitted use subject to the city's zoning enforcement and public nuisance abatement procedures under Chapter 6.01, which starts with a Director's notice of violation and can end in a hearing before the Public Nuisance Hearing Officer. A CUP that is granted can also be conditioned or later revoked by the Planning Commission if the practice violates its approved conditions.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Fullerton actively enforces its veterinary clinic zoning requirements.

Beekeeping

Keeping bees in a Fullerton residential zone requires a residential beekeeping permit, not just compliance with general animal-keeping rules. Fullerton Municipal Code § 15.17.030(V) also requires the beekeeper to notify adjoining property owners before the city issues the permit.

Key details: Permit: Residential beekeeping permit required. Notification: Adjoining properties notified before permit issues. Best practices: City best management practices must be followed. Acknowledgment: Signed receipt required before permit issuance. Issuing office: Community and Economic Development Department.

Beekeeping without the required residential beekeeping permit, or without following the acknowledged best management practices, violates § 15.17.030(V) and is enforced under the citywide penalty scheme, § 1.08.010: an infraction fine up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year and $500 after that, or a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in County Jail. The Director of Development Services can also revoke the permit for noncompliance.

This is one of the stricter rules in Fullerton's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Cat Rules

Fullerton's animal-keeping code makes every pet owner cage, pen or fence in their animals and keeps them off the street, with one deliberate carve-out: cats. Fullerton Municipal Code § 11.36.030(A) exempts cats from both the mandatory enclosure requirement and the at-large prohibition that binds dogs, poultry and livestock. A cat sunning itself on a neighbor's porch is not, by itself, a code violation; a loose dog or unpenned chicken is.

Key details: At-large exemption: Cats exempt; other animals barred, §11.36.030(A). Enclosure duty: Non-cat animals must stay penned or fenced. Sanitary standard: No droppings buildup allowed, §11.36.030(B). Noise: Animal noise follows Chapter 15.90. Licensing: Runs through adopted OC Title 4/5, §11.01.010.

§ 11.36.030 violations are enforced under Fullerton's citywide penalty scheme, § 1.08.010: a first infraction draws up to a $100 fine, a second within a year up to $200, and a third or later up to $500, or the City Attorney may instead charge a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in County Jail. The City Attorney can also seek a civil injunction to abate the condition, and § 1.08.040 lets the city treat an uncorrected violation lasting more than 24 hours as an abatable public nuisance.

Fullerton is more permissive than most cities when it comes to cat rules. That said, there are still limits.

Pet Limits

Fullerton caps traditional pets at four dogs and cats combined on lots of 20,000 square feet or less, five on larger lots, and two per unit in duplexes, apartments, condominiums or mobile homes. Keeping four or more dogs also requires an R-1 or R-1P lot and a non-commercial kennel license from County Animal Control, under Fullerton Municipal Code section 15.17.030(J).

Key details: Lots 20,000 sq ft or less: 4 dogs/cats combined max. Lots over 20,000 sq ft: 5 dogs/cats combined max. Duplex/apartment/condo unit: 2 dogs or cats per unit. 4+ dogs requirement: R-1/R-1P zone plus County kennel license. Small household pets: 4 per dwelling, fish not counted.

Keeping more dogs and cats than the lot's tier allows, or four or more dogs without the required kennel license and R-1 or R-1P zoning, is a code violation that County Animal Control and city code enforcement can pursue with a citation, an order to reduce the animal count, or a referral to apply for a conditional use permit. Repeated noncompliance can also trigger nuisance abatement proceedings, especially when neighbor complaints about noise or sanitation accompany the excess animals.

Chickens & Livestock

Poultry is banned outright on residential lots under 7,000 square feet and in every duplex, apartment, condominium or mobile home, while larger lots may keep up to four birds with 80 square feet of fenced outdoor exercise space, and roosters and peacocks are barred from every residential zone regardless of lot size, under Fullerton Municipal Code section 15.17.030(K).

Key details: Minimum lot for any poultry: 7,000 sq ft. Base poultry allowance: 4 birds, 80 sq ft fenced run. Roosters/peacocks: Prohibited in all residential zones. Nighttime distance: 30 ft from dwellings, 10pm-7am. Livestock lot minimum: 3/4 acre for 2 adult animals.

Keeping poultry on a lot under 7,000 square feet, keeping a rooster or peacock in any residential zone, or exceeding the four-bird or per-animal cap without a conditional use permit is a zoning violation that code enforcement and County Animal Control can address with a citation, an order to remove the excess or prohibited animals, or a nuisance abatement action when odor or noise complaints are involved. Livestock kept without an adequate containment fence or inside the required 50-foot dwelling buffer faces the same enforcement path.

This is one of the stricter rules in Fullerton's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Exotic Pets

Fullerton follows California Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations on exotic animal ownership. Many exotic species require state permits, and some are entirely prohibited. Local nuisance ordinances also apply to exotic pets kept in residential areas.

Key details: Prohibited: Ferrets, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, primates. Allowed: Non-venomous snakes, many lizards. State Law: CA Fish & Game Code §2118, 14 CCR §671. Animal Control: OC Animal Care, (714) 935-6848. Permits: CDFW restricted species permits.

Possession of prohibited exotic animals may result in confiscation of the animal, fines, and potential misdemeanor charges under California Fish and Game Code. Nuisance violations may result in additional city-level fines.

This is one of the stricter rules in Fullerton's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Breed Restrictions

Fullerton does not have breed-specific legislation banning or restricting any particular dog breed. California state law (Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683) prohibits breed-specific bans by local governments. However, individual dogs that bite or display aggressive behavior may be declared potentially dangerous or vicious regardless of breed.

Key details: Breed Bans: None - prohibited by state law. State Law: CA Food & Ag Code Sec. 31683. Dangerous Dogs: Behavior-based, not breed-based. Pit Bulls: Allowed in Fullerton. OC Animal Care: (714) 935-6848.

Dangerous dog designations are handled by OC Animal Care at (714) 935-6848. Owners failing to comply with potentially dangerous dog requirements face fines and potential impoundment or euthanasia of the animal.

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

The Bottom Line

Fullerton is tougher than many cities when it comes to animal ordinances. Out of the 10 rules covered here, 5 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Fullerton, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Fullerton's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.