Vacaville's Animal Ordinances: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles animal ordinances a little differently. In Vacaville, California, there are 8 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.

Exotic Pets

Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 6.04 prohibits wild species from running at large or being pastured/staked in the City. Possession of restricted species (large cats, monkeys, venomous snakes, alligators, ferrets) is controlled primarily by California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 671 and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, which requires a Restricted Species Permit. VMC Chapter 6.16 (Dangerous Animals) reinforces the prohibition on possessing any animal another jurisdiction has deemed dangerous, vicious, or a threat to safety.

Key details: Primary State Rule: Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14 Sec. 671. Ferrets: Illegal statewide. Big Cats / Primates: CDFW Restricted Species Permit only. Local Code: VMC Ch. 6.04 + 6.16. Common Reptiles: Allowed (ball python, corn snake).

Possessing a CCR Title 14 Section 671 restricted species without a CDFW Restricted Species Permit is a misdemeanor enforceable by CDFW wardens and Humane Animal Services, carrying fines, animal seizure, and possible jail. Allowing a wild animal to run at large in Vacaville violates VMC Chapter 6.04 and is an infraction subject to impound and citation.

Beekeeping

Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 6.24 requires a Beekeeping Permit from Community Development to keep hives on any lot in a Residential District, or in a Commercial District where residential uses are allowed. Open Space, Agricultural Hillside, Industrial, and non-residential Commercial parcels are exempt if the hive sits more than 150 ft from any dwelling and at least 100 ft from a public street. Apiary registration with the Solano County Agricultural Commissioner is also required under California Food & Ag Code Section 29040.

Key details: Permit Required In: Residential + mixed-use Commercial. Fence: Solid, 6 ft tall, within 30 ft of hive. Allergy Setback: 200 ft from allergic neighbor. Open Space Exemption: >150 ft from dwelling, >100 ft from street. State Registration: Cal. Food & Ag Code Sec. 29040.

Keeping hives in a residential or mixed-use commercial zone without a Beekeeping Permit is a Chapter 6.24 violation enforced by Community Development. Failure to maintain required fencing, setbacks, water, or hive orientation can result in permit revocation, abatement, and fines. Failure to register apiaries with the Solano County Agricultural Commissioner under FAC 29040 is a separate state-law violation.

Pet Limits

Vacaville Municipal Code limits residential households to three dogs and three cats over four months old per lot, plus six adult rabbits. Higher counts require commercial kennel or cattery zoning under Title 14, or a rural-zoned parcel that authorizes additional animals. Humane Animal Services enforces; complaints typically come through neighbor reports under VMC Chapter 6.20.

Key details: Dog Cap: 3 over 4 months. Cat Cap: 3 over 4 months. Rabbit Cap: 6 adult. Higher Counts: Commercial kennel zoning or AG/RR parcel. ADA Service Animals: Exempt.

Exceeding pet caps in a residential district is a zoning violation enforceable through Code Enforcement with notice, hearing, administrative citation, and abatement orders. Animals beyond the cap may be ordered removed. Operating an unlicensed commercial kennel or cattery is a more serious Title 14 violation that can trigger daily fines and use-restriction orders.

Dog Leash Laws

Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 6.04 requires dogs in public places to be restrained by a substantial chain or leash no longer than six feet and under the physical control of a competent handler. All dogs over four months old must be licensed under Chapter 6.08 with proof of current rabies vaccination. Humane Animal Services (HAS) provides animal control under contract at 707-449-1700.

Key details: Leash Length: Maximum 6 feet (VMC 6.04). License Age: Over 4 months (VMC 6.08). Rabies: Required for licensing. Off-Leash Areas: Designated dog parks only. Animal Control: Humane Animal Services.

Allowing a dog at large or off-leash outside a designated off-leash area is an infraction under Chapter 6.04. Dogs found at large may be impounded by HAS; owners pay impound, daily board, and licensing fees to redeem. Failure to license is a separate Chapter 6.08 violation. Bites or aggressive incidents can escalate to dangerous-dog hearings under state Food & Agricultural Code Section 31601 et seq.

Breed Restrictions

Vacaville has no breed-specific dog ordinance. California Food & Agricultural Code Section 31683 prohibits any local breed-discriminatory ordinance that declares a specific breed inherently dangerous or vicious. The City and Humane Animal Services regulate individual dogs through California's potentially-dangerous and vicious-dog process (Food & Ag Code Sections 31601-31683) and through VMC Chapter 6.16 (Dangerous Animals).

Key details: Breed Ban: None - state law preempts. State Preemption: Cal. Food & Ag Code Sec. 31683. Dangerous-Dog Statute: Cal. Food & Ag Code Sec. 31601-31645. Local Code: VMC Ch. 6.16 (Dangerous Animals). Enforcement: Humane Animal Services.

Because there is no breed ban to violate, enforcement is behavior-based. A dog adjudicated potentially dangerous or vicious that violates handling conditions may be impounded under VMC 6.16 and California Food & Ag Code 31641-31645; a vicious dog may be ordered destroyed if the court finds a continuing threat. Owners of a dog causing serious injury also face exposure under California Penal Code Section 399.

The rules around breed restrictions in Vacaville lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Chickens & Livestock

Vacaville allows home chicken keeping as a non-commercial accessory use to single-family residences in agricultural and lower-density residential zones with a 6,000 sq ft minimum lot size. The cap is one adult hen per 1,000 sq ft of lot area, up to nine hens total. Roosters are prohibited citywide. Other livestock require an agricultural or rural-zoned parcel under Title 14 (Land Use & Development Code).

Key details: Hen Density: 1 hen per 1,000 sq ft of lot. Maximum Hens: 9 per parcel. Roosters: Prohibited. Minimum Lot: 6,000 sq ft (AG, AH, RR, RE, RL zones). Nuisance Code: VMC Ch. 6.20.

Keeping a rooster, exceeding the nine-hen cap, or maintaining chickens in a prohibited zone is a zoning violation enforced by Community Development. Fowl running at large or creating nuisance odors/noise violate VMC Ch. 6.20 and can trigger administrative citations, code-compliance abatement, and orders to remove the animals.

Wildlife Feeding

Vacaville does not have a stand-alone wildlife-feeding chapter, but California Fish & Game Code Section 251.1 prohibits any conduct that herds, harasses, or pursues wildlife, and California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 251.3 makes it unlawful to feed big-game mammals - including deer, elk, antelope, and bears - throughout California. Local nuisance abatement under VMC Chapter 6.20 backstops feeding that attracts coyotes, raccoons, or other animals onto private property.

Key details: Big-Game Feeding Ban: Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14 Sec. 251.3. Harassment Statute: Cal. Fish & Game Code Sec. 251.1. Max Penalty: $1,000 + 6 months jail. Local Backstop: VMC Ch. 6.20 + Ch. 8.04. Enforcement: CDFW + Humane Animal Services.

Feeding deer or other big-game mammals violates CCR Title 14 Section 251.3 and is a misdemeanor enforceable by CDFW wardens and Humane Animal Services, with penalties up to $1,000 and six months in jail under Fish & Game Code Section 12000 et seq. Feeding that attracts nuisance wildlife may also be abated under VMC 6.20 with administrative citation and orders to stop. Trash and garbage left outside that attracts wildlife can be cited under VMC Chapter 8.04 (Weeds and Rubbish Abatement).

Animal Hoarding

Vacaville does not have a dedicated animal-hoarding ordinance. Instead it caps companion animals at three dogs and three cats over four months old per residential lot (and six adult rabbits), enforces nuisance and cruelty provisions through VMC Chapters 6.20 and 6.16, and relies on California Penal Code Section 597 (cruelty to animals) for severe hoarding cases.

Key details: Dog/Cat Cap: 3 dogs + 3 cats (over 4 months). Rabbit Cap: 6 adult rabbits per lot. Nuisance Code: VMC Ch. 6.20. Complaint Trigger: 3 residents in writing. State Cruelty Law: Cal. Penal Code Sec. 597.

Exceeding the residential pet caps is a zoning code violation under Title 14, enforced through code-compliance notice, citation, and abatement. Nuisance violations under VMC 6.20 carry administrative citation, hearing, and orders to abate. Cases involving suffering, neglect, or unsanitary confinement may be charged as misdemeanor or felony cruelty under California Penal Code Section 597; seized animals are placed in HAS or Solano County shelters, and owners may be ordered to pay restitution and barred from future ownership.

The Bottom Line

Vacaville'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 Vacaville is broadly strict or permissive.

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