Animal Ordinances in West Covina, CA

If you live in West Covina or are thinking about moving there, animal ordinances are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. West Covina has 8 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of animal ordinances, and some of them might surprise you.

Mandatory Spay/Neuter

West Covina adopted Los Angeles County's Title 10 Animal Control Code as its own ordinance in 2017, but City Council Sec. 6-5(b) specifically strikes Part 4, the county's Mandatory Spay and Neuter Program for Dogs and Cats, from that adoption. Pet owners in West Covina face no local sterilization mandate; the county's program is not enforced within city limits.

Key details: Mandatory spay/neuter status: Excluded, not enforced locally. Adopting ordinance: Ord. No. 2305 (2-21-17). Governing chapter: WCMC Ch. 6, Animal Control. General violation penalty: Infraction under Sec. 6-7. Dog licensing: Still mandatory under Sec. 6-5(c).

There is no citation, fine, or infraction for keeping an unaltered dog or cat in West Covina, because Sec. 6-5(b) removed the county's mandatory spay/neuter program before it ever took effect locally. Other adopted provisions of Title 10, such as licensing and nuisance rules, remain enforceable: violations are infractions under Sec. 6-7 and can also be abated as public nuisances, including by injunction, under Sec. 6-8.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find West Covina gives residents more flexibility on mandatory spay/neuter.

Pet Limits

West Covina caps most households at three dogs and four cats. Municipal Code Sec. 6-5(d), rewriting county rule 10.20.038, makes it unlawful to keep more without an animal facility license from the city, though a qualifying service dog is not counted toward the three-dog cap.

Key details: Dog limit without license: 3 per residence. Cat limit without license: 4 per residence. Service dogs: Excluded from dog count. Licensing: Dogs mandatory, cats optional. Exceeding limit: Infraction under Sec. 6-7.

Keeping more than three dogs or four cats at a residence without first obtaining an animal facility license violates WCMC Sec. 6-5(d)/10.20.038. That is chargeable as an infraction under Sec. 6-7, and the city can pursue civil, criminal or administrative nuisance abatement, including a restraining order or injunction, under Sec. 6-8 if the excess animals continue to be kept.

Dog Leash Laws

West Covina requires any cat, dog or other domestic animal in a public park or public place to be on a leash no longer than six feet and in the hands of someone able to control it, plus proof of current licensing, under Municipal Code Section 16-25. Guide dogs, law enforcement dogs, and permitted group activities are exempt.

Key details: Governing section: Municipal Code Sec. 16-25. Max leash length: six (6) feet. Licensing: owner must show proof of current license. Exemptions: guide dogs, law enforcement dogs, permitted group events. Horses: Ridge Riders Equestrian Center only, elsewhere needs permission.

Bringing an unleashed or improperly restrained dog into a West Covina park, or one without proof of current license, violates Section 16-25 and is enforced as an infraction or misdemeanor under Section 16-30, punishable per the general penalty provisions of Sections 1-37 and 1-37.1. Animal control or police officers can also require the owner to leave the park.

Beekeeping

West Covina allows beekeeping in every residential zone only with an Administrative Permit with Hearing (APH) under Table 2-2 of the Development Code, a discretionary process that requires Community Development Director findings on compatibility, site adequacy, and neighborhood impact before a hive can go in.

Key details: Permit required: Administrative Permit with Hearing (APH). Zones allowed: All 6 residential zones, with APH. Decision-maker: Community Development Director or designee. Hearing: Only if requested during public review. Findings required: Compatibility, site adequacy, no detriment.

Keeping bees without an approved Administrative Permit with Hearing is a Development Code violation enforceable the same as any unpermitted land use under chapter 26, article VI: the city can require removal of the hives and deny future permit applications until the property comes into compliance. An approved APH that goes unused or is discontinued for six months becomes null and void under Sec. 26-240(d), and any conditions attached to the approval, such as hive placement or screening, are enforceable as permit violations subject to revocation under Sec. 26-241.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. West Covina actively enforces its beekeeping requirements.

Pet Store Rules

West Covina requires any pet store selling dogs at retail to hold a city permit under Municipal Code Section 14-133, renewed annually. The permit does not replace a state seller's permit or health department approval, and small-scale dog breeders who sell fewer than fifty dogs a year, along with public pounds and humane societies, are exempt under Section 14-135.

Key details: Permit required for: Retail dog sales (Sec. 14-133). Permit term: 1 year, renewable. Breeder exemption: Under 50 dogs sold/year. Also exempt: Public pounds, humane societies. Issuance window: 10 days after application.

Operating a pet store selling dogs without a valid permit, or after a permit is suspended or revoked, is a misdemeanor under Section 14-134. The license collector can suspend or revoke a permit under Section 14-140 for violating the article's sourcing-documentation rules or any other law, and a store that loses its permit through revocation is barred from reapplying for a full year.

Compared to other cities, West Covina takes a harder line on pet store rules. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Chickens & Livestock

West Covina lets any single-family residential lot keep up to six poultry or fowl, but roosters are prohibited citywide. Bigger livestock, bovine animals, sheep, goats and horses, is confined to R-A zoned parcels of at least 20,000 square feet under sliding scale ratios tied to lot size.

Key details: Poultry/fowl cap: 6 birds per lot, no permit. Roosters: Prohibited citywide. Homing pigeons: Up to 24 with admin. permit. Bovine/sheep/goats: R-A zone only, 20,000 sf min. lot. Horses: 2 min. on 20,000 sf, up to 5+.

Keeping more birds, small animals, bovine stock or horses than the lot-size table allows, keeping a rooster anywhere in the city, or maintaining animals outside a compliant corral, pen or stable is a Development Code violation subject to the city's standard code enforcement track: an administrative citation, a fine set by council resolution, and escalating penalties for continuing violations under the city's administrative fine article. Barns, corrals and stables that go uncleaned so odor, flies or dust reach adjoining properties, or manure that isn't stored in sealed, water-tight containers, are cited the same way. Section 26-111(n) separately bars any wild or dangerous animal from being kept regardless of the poultry and livestock allowances, cross-referencing the wild-animal definitions in Chapter 6.

Breed Restrictions

West Covina does not have breed-specific legislation. CA Food & Agricultural Code Section 31683 generally preempts local breed bans. Dangerous dog laws focus on individual behavior.

Key details: Breed Bans: None in West Covina. State Law: CA F&AG Code Section 31683. Focus: Individual behavior, not breed. Dangerous Dogs: Per CA state dangerous dog statutes.

Exotic Pets

West Covina regulates exotic and wild animal keeping under Chapter 6 and defers to California Fish and Game Code and Title 14 CCR Section 671 for restricted species. Wild, dangerous, or exotic animals are generally prohibited in residential zones without permits.

Key details: State Law: 14 CCR §671. Primates/Big Cats: Prohibited. Enforcement: IVHS + CA Fish & Wildlife. Code: WCMC Ch. 6, State F&G Code.

Keeping a restricted wild animal without a state permit is a misdemeanor under California law. West Covina may also issue municipal code violations and require removal of the animal. IVHS at (909) 623-9777 handles enforcement.

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

The Bottom Line

West Covina is tougher than many cities when it comes to animal ordinances. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in West Covina, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

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