Hesperia's Animal Ordinances: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles animal ordinances a little differently. In Hesperia, California, there are 7 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Dog Leash Laws

Hesperia contracts with San Bernardino County Animal Care & Control for animal regulation. Under San Bernardino County Code Title 3, Division 2 (the County Animal Control Ordinance) which applies in Hesperia, dogs must be restrained on a leash not exceeding 6 feet when off the owner's property, and dogs running at large are prohibited.

Key details: Leash Required: Off owner's property; max 6 ft. Code Authority: SB County Code §32.0103, §32.0801 (adopted by Hesperia). Enforcement: SB County Animal Care & Control. Shelter: Devore Animal Shelter (High Desert). License Required: Yes, with current rabies vaccination.

First violation is typically a written warning or citation with fines starting around $50; repeat offenses escalate to $100–$250. Dogs at large may be impounded with redemption fees plus daily boarding charges. Failure to license is a separate citation.

Exotic Pets

Hesperia does not authorize wild or exotic animals as pets by right. The Development Code's Animal Quantities Matrix (referenced in §16.20.690) provides that 'exotic animals are only allowed if approved as part of an exotic animal permit.' Independently, California Fish & Game Code §2118 and 14 CCR §671 list 'restricted species' (most non-domesticated mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians and fish) that may not be possessed in California without a permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Common exotic pets such as ferrets, monkeys, large cats, hedgehogs, sugar gliders and many reptiles are prohibited or require a CDFW restricted-species permit.

Key details: Local rule: Hesperia Animal Quantities Matrix — 'exotic animals only allowed with exotic animal permit'. State statute: Cal. Fish & Game Code §2118; 14 CCR §671 (restricted species). Permitting agency: California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Common prohibited pets: Ferrets, monkeys, large cats, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, venomous reptiles. Native wildlife: Protected under Fish & Game Code §3005 — cannot be pets.

Possessing a CDFW restricted species without a permit violates Fish & Game Code §2118 / 14 CCR §671 and is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and/or up to $1,000 fine plus seizure of the animal. Keeping an exotic animal in Hesperia without the city's exotic-animal approval is a Development Code violation subject to administrative citation. Animal cruelty is prosecuted under Cal. Penal Code §597 as a misdemeanor or felony wobbler.

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

Breed Restrictions

Hesperia does not impose breed-specific bans. California Food & Agricultural Code §31683 preempts cities from declaring any specific dog breed inherently dangerous or vicious, though Hesperia and San Bernardino County may require spay/neuter of specific breeds and regulate individual dogs declared dangerous after an incident.

Key details: Breed Ban: None — preempted by Cal. Food & Ag Code §31683. Dangerous Dog Process: Individual hearing per Food & Ag Code §31601–§31683. Spay/Neuter by Breed: Allowed under §31683(b). HOA/Landlord Rules: May impose private breed restrictions. Insurance Required: If declared dangerous.

Owning a dog declared dangerous or vicious without complying with confinement/insurance orders is a misdemeanor. Violations of spay/neuter mandates carry administrative fines. Breach of CA Food & Ag Code §31683 (illegal breed ban) is not subject to local enforcement.

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

Beekeeping

Hesperia Development Code §16.20.690 is titled 'Allowable Animals — Apiary and Residential/Agricultural Designations' and treats apiaries as a regulated land use whose numeric limits are set by the Animal Quantities Matrix referenced in the section. In addition, California Food & Agricultural Code §29040 requires every person owning or possessing an apiary in the state to register annually with the San Bernardino County Agricultural Commissioner (administered through the statewide BeeWhere program). Hive setbacks from dwellings follow the 70-ft open-enclosure standard in §16.20.050 unless a more specific apiary distance is set by the matrix.

Key details: Local code section: Hesperia Dev. Code §16.20.690 (apiary land-use designation). State registration: Cal. Food & Ag. Code §29040 — annual, BeeWhere portal. Registration deadline: January 1 annually (30 days for new beekeepers). County registrar: San Bernardino County Agricultural Commissioner. Hive setback default: 70 ft from dwellings (§16.20.050).

Operating an apiary without annual registration violates Cal. Food & Ag. Code §29040 and is an infraction enforceable by the County Agricultural Commissioner. Exceeding the colony limits in §16.20.690 or placing hives within 70 ft of a dwelling (§16.20.050) is a Development Code violation subject to administrative citation. Africanized/aggressive colonies that pose a public health threat may be abated by the City under nuisance authority.

Wildlife Feeding

Hesperia Municipal Code does not contain a stand-alone ordinance prohibiting the feeding of wildlife. The City's Wild Animals page warns residents about Mojave rattlesnakes, mountain lions, Africanized bees and mosquitoes and directs nuisance-wildlife complaints to Animal Control (760) 947-1700, but it does not impose a feeding ban. State law fills the gap: California Fish & Game Code §4150 makes it unlawful to harass non-game mammals (which includes feeding that habituates them), and 14 CCR §251.1 prohibits harassing wildlife in a manner that disrupts their normal behavior. Feeding bears, mountain lions and coyotes is specifically discouraged by CDFW because it creates public-safety hazards subject to depredation permits or destruction under §4181.

Key details: Local feeding ban: None in Hesperia Municipal Code. State authority: Cal. Fish & Game Code §4150; 14 CCR §251.1. High-desert hazards: Mojave rattlesnake, mountain lion, coyote, Africanized bees. Animal Control contact: (760) 947-1700. Depredation authority: Fish & Game Code §4181 (CDFW).

No direct fine exists under the Hesperia Municipal Code for feeding wildlife. Conduct that habituates protected mammals can be charged under Cal. Fish & Game Code §4150 (misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail) and 14 CCR §251.1 (harassment of wildlife). Property conditions that attract vermin can be abated as a public nuisance under Title 8 of the Hesperia Municipal Code.

The rules around wildlife feeding in Hesperia lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Chickens & Livestock

Hesperia Development Code Title 16, Chapter 16.20, Article XIII (Animal Regulations) — together with the Animal Quantities Matrix referenced in §16.20.690 — allows female chickens and small livestock in residential and agricultural zones on a per-square-foot basis. In R-1 and Low Density Residential (LDR) zones (7,200 sf to one acre) 2 chickens are permitted per 3,500 sf, not to exceed 25 per acre. Roosters, peafowl and other male fowl are limited to 1 per 14,000 sf, with lots over 18,000 sf allowed up to 10% of permitted birds as males. Animal-keeping areas must be maintained to control odor under Title 6.

Key details: Code section: Hesperia Dev. Code §16.20.660–§16.20.710 (Art. XIII Animal Regulations). Chickens R-1/LDR (7,200 sf–1 acre): 2 per 3,500 sf, max 25 per acre. Male fowl / roosters: 1 per 14,000 sf; lots >18,000 sf may have up to 10% males. Setback to dwellings: 70 ft (§16.20.050 open animal enclosures). Large livestock: Require A1 or A2 agricultural designation (Ch. 16.16).

Exceeding the numeric limits in §16.20.690 / the Animal Quantities Matrix is a Development Code violation enforceable by Code Enforcement and can result in administrative citations under Title 1 of the Hesperia Municipal Code. Keeping a rooster on a lot smaller than 14,000 sf, or maintaining enclosures within 70 feet of a dwelling (§16.20.050) is a violation. Neglect or cruelty triggers Cal. Penal Code §597 (misdemeanor or felony wobbler) enforcement by Animal Control (760) 947-1700.

Animal Hoarding

Hesperia controls hoarding-type conditions in two ways. First, Development Code §16.20.690 and the Animal Quantities Matrix cap the number of animals allowed per lot based on lot size and zoning (e.g., 15 small animals per 10,000 sf for sub-acre lots; 150 per acre for larger parcels), making it a Development Code violation to keep more than the maximums. Second, California Penal Code §597 (cruelty) and §597.1 (failure to provide care; impoundment authority) criminalize keeping animals in conditions of neglect — the statute reached by Hesperia Animal Control when a hoarding situation produces inadequate food, water, shelter or veterinary care. Spay/neuter is mandatory for animals subject to violations (Hesperia §6.08.020).

Key details: Numeric cap: 15 small animals per 10,000 sf (sub-acre); 150 per acre (acre+) — §16.20.690. Combinations rule: Species cannot be combined to exceed caps on sub-acre lots. Cruelty statute: Cal. Penal Code §597. Seizure authority: Cal. Penal Code §597.1 (impoundment for neglect). Mandatory spay/neuter: Hesperia §6.08.020 — any animal involved in a violation.

Exceeding the §16.20.690 numeric caps is a Development Code violation citable under Title 1. Neglect or cruelty is prosecuted under Cal. Penal Code §597 (misdemeanor: up to 1 year jail and $20,000 fine; felony: up to 3 years state prison). §597.1 authorizes seizure of animals at risk; the owner is liable for impound and care costs. Repeat licensing/quantity violations trigger mandatory spay/neuter under Hesperia §6.08.020 at owner cost, plus microchipping. Animals may be permanently forfeited under §597(g) following conviction.

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

The Bottom Line

Hesperia's animal ordinances rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Hesperia is broadly strict or permissive.

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