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

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

Animal Hoarding

Animal hoarding is prosecuted under California Penal Code § 597 (animal cruelty) — neither Tulare nor California sets a specific numeric threshold. Hoarding is charged whenever overcrowding compromises animal welfare, nutrition, or veterinary care. Tulare Municipal Code § 6.12.210 (animal nuisances) provides local civil/abatement enforcement; Cal. Penal Code § 597 provides criminal sanctions (misdemeanor or felony 'wobbler').

Key details: Controlling statute: Cal. Penal Code § 597 (animal cruelty). Numeric threshold: None — based on welfare impact, not count. Misdemeanor penalty: Up to 1 year jail + $20,000 fine. Felony penalty: Up to 3 years state prison + $20,000 fine. Local enforcement: Tulare Mun. Code § 6.12.210; investigation by Animal Services.

Cal. Penal Code § 597 — misdemeanor: up to 1 year county jail + up to $20,000 fine; felony: 16 months / 2 / 3 years state prison + up to $20,000 fine. Animal seizure and forfeiture under § 597.1 plus cost-of-care lien. Local administrative penalties under Tulare Mun. Code § 6.12.080. Mandatory mental health evaluation may be ordered.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Tulare actively enforces its animal hoarding requirements.

Wildlife Feeding

Tulare has no city-specific wildlife-feeding ordinance. State law controls: 14 CCR § 251.1 prohibits harassing wildlife (which CDFW interprets to include feeding that disrupts normal behavior), and 14 CCR § 251.3 specifically prohibits feeding big-game mammals (deer, bear, elk). Local enforcement may proceed under Tulare Municipal Code § 6.12.210 (animal nuisances) or § 7.28 (general nuisance) if feeding attracts rodents or creates a public-health problem.

Key details: Local ordinance: None city-specific; falls under § 6.12.210 nuisance + state law. State harassment rule: 14 CCR § 251.1 — feeding can constitute prohibited harassment. Big game ban: 14 CCR § 251.3 — flat ban on feeding deer, bear, elk. Penalty: Misdemeanor under Cal. Fish & Game Code § 12000. Local enforcement: Tulare Animal Services Officer / Code Enforcement.

Violations of 14 CCR § 251.1 or § 251.3 are misdemeanors under Cal. Fish & Game Code § 12000, with fines and possible jail. Local nuisance violations under Tulare Mun. Code § 6.12.210 carry administrative citations under § 6.12.080. Bird feeders that attract rats may be ordered abated under Title 7 Chapter 7.28.

Chickens & Livestock

Tulare regulates animal keeping under Title 6 Chapter 6.12 (Tulare Animal Ordinance) and Title 10 zoning. Livestock at large is prohibited (§ 6.12), and animals must not become a public nuisance (§ 6.12.210). Commercial agricultural operations are exempted under Cal. Civ. Code § 3482.5 (Right to Farm) — important in dairy-heavy Tulare County.

Key details: Animal ordinance: Tulare Municipal Code Ch. 6.12. Nuisance section: § 6.12.210 (2+ residents must complain, or 1 if only resident within 300 ft). Ag exemption: Cal. Civ. Code § 3482.5 (Right to Farm) protects commercial ag operations. Roosters: Banned in residential zones (2014 council vote upheld ban). Rural Residential zone: Title 10 Ch. 10.28 R-A — broader livestock allowance.

Animals declared a public nuisance under § 6.12.210 may be subject to an abatement order from the City Manager or Animal Services Officer. Administrative citations are governed by § 6.12.080 (Administrative citation, hearing, appeals and penalties process). Continued nuisance may lead to impoundment under § 6.12. Livestock at large is separately prohibited.

Breed Restrictions

Tulare does NOT ban or restrict any dog breed. California Food & Ag. Code § 31683 prohibits cities and counties from declaring any breed (including pit bulls) 'potentially dangerous' or 'vicious' based on breed alone — those determinations must rest on individual dog behavior under Cal. Food & Ag. Code §§ 31602–31683. The same statute does, however, permit breed-specific mandatory spay/neuter and breeding programs. Tulare Muni Code §§ 6.12.380 et seq. adopt a citywide spay/neuter framework: all dogs and cats in Tulare must be altered unless the owner obtains an 'Unaltered Animal Certification' under § 6.12.410. Licensing is conditioned on proof of spay/neuter or a valid unaltered certificate.

Key details: Breed Ban?: No — Cal. Food & Ag. Code § 31683 preempts breed-specific dangerous/vicious declarations. Citywide Spay/Neuter: Required for all dogs and cats — TMC § 6.12.380 et seq.. Unaltered Certificate: Available under TMC § 6.12.410 (administration). Dangerous/Vicious Dogs: Behavior-based, Cal. Food & Ag. Code §§ 31602–31683. Criminal Bite Statute: Cal. Penal Code § 399 (failing to control mischievous animal).

Owning an unaltered dog or cat without a valid Unaltered Animal Certification violates TMC Ch. 6.12 and bars issuance/renewal of a city license. Penalties include citation fines, license fee surcharges, and impoundment of unlicensed animals. A breed-specific city ban would violate Cal. Food & Ag. Code § 31683 and be unenforceable. Owners of dogs declared potentially dangerous or vicious face confinement, signage, leash/muzzle, and registration requirements under state law, with criminal exposure under Cal. Penal Code § 399 if a dangerous dog injures or kills a person.

Beekeeping

Beekeeping in Tulare is governed primarily by Tulare County's apiary code (Chapter 5, Agriculture) administered by the Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner, plus California Food & Agricultural Code Division 13 (Bee Management). Apiaries must be registered, identified, and sited to allow pesticide-notification coordination — Tulare County is a top-50 US ag county with extensive crop spraying.

Key details: Registration: Required with Tulare County Ag Commissioner (Cal. Food & Ag Code Div. 13). Bee clearance: Required to move hives into county; contact Pesticide Division 559-713-3770. City-level rules: No separate city ordinance — county/state framework applies, plus § 6.12.210 nuisance. Right-to-Farm: Apiculture protected as 'agricultural operation' under Cal. Civ. Code § 3482.5. Pesticide notification: Tulare County operates apiary notification regions (§§ 29080-29082).

Failure to register an apiary with the Tulare County Ag Commissioner violates the county apiary code and state Food & Ag Code Division 13. Penalties under §§ 29300-29311. Unregistered hives also forfeit pesticide-notification protection — surrounding ag spray operations are not required to warn unregistered apiaries.

Exotic Pets

Exotic pet ownership in Tulare is governed primarily by California Code of Regulations Title 14 § 671, which lists hundreds of 'Restricted Species' that cannot be possessed without a permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). CDFW does not issue permits for private pet possession. Tulare Municipal Code § 6.12.050 incorporates the state definition by reference: an 'exotic animal' is any wild animal the California Fish and Game Commission has declared prohibited.

Key details: Controlling law: 14 CCR § 671 (CA Restricted Species list). Local definition: Tulare Mun. Code § 6.12.050 — adopts state Fish & Game definition. Permit eligibility: Research, public exhibition, education only — NOT private pets. Common bans: Ferrets, hedgehogs, primates, big cats, wolves, most reptiles. State penalty: Misdemeanor + up to $1,000 fine + confiscation (Fish & Game Code § 2125).

Possession of a 14 CCR § 671 restricted species without a CDFW permit is a misdemeanor under Cal. Fish & Game Code § 2125, with fines up to $1,000 plus confiscation. Local enforcement may also impose abatement orders under Tulare Mun. Code § 6.12.210. Confiscated animals are not returned even on first offense.

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

Dog Leash Laws

Tulare Municipal Code § 6.12.310 prohibits any dog from straying off the owner's property unless restrained by a leash or lead not exceeding eight feet. Off-leash dogs are 'at large' and subject to impoundment. Narrow exceptions cover peace-officer/SAR dogs, sanctioned obedience or competition events, livestock-herding dogs working ranch operations (a Central Valley ag-area carve-out), hunters' dogs while hunting, and dogs inside a designated leash-free park or enclosure. The 8-foot cap matches the typical California standard and is shorter than retractable leashes set beyond 8 feet, which technically violate the code.

Key details: Code Citation: Tulare Muni Code § 6.12.310 — Dogs at large. Max Leash Length: 8 feet. Off-Leash Exceptions: Peace officer/SAR, obedience training/competition, livestock herding, hunting, designated leash-free area. Enforcing Agency: Tulare Police Department — Animal Services. License Required: Yes, dogs over 4 months (TMC § 6.12.100; Cal. Food & Ag. Code § 30951).

Allowing a dog at large is an infraction under TMC § 6.12.310 and can also be charged under the general animal-ordinance penalty provisions of Chapter 6.12. Animal Services may impound the dog; owners owe impound, daily boarding, and any veterinary/rabies-quarantine costs in addition to the citation fine. Repeat at-large violations or bites can escalate to a 'potentially dangerous' or 'vicious' dog designation under Cal. Food & Ag. Code §§ 31602–31683, which Tulare enforces locally.

The Bottom Line

Tulare is tougher than many cities when it comes to animal ordinances. Out of the 7 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Tulare, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

All of the above reflects Tulare's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.