Animal Ordinances in Buena Park, CA (2026)
12 verified animal ordinances for Buena Park, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Buena Park requires a ministerial permit from Community and Economic Development before keeping chickens in RS residential zones, with minimum enclosure size and setback rules enforced under the city's 2025 zoning update.
Buena Park Backyard Chicken Keeping Permit
Some RestrictionsBuena Park Municipal Code § 19.348.050.D (Chicken Keeping)
No property may keep chickens without first obtaining a ministerial permit from the Community and Economic Development Department. 2. Any property which keeps or maintains chickens shall provide an adequate enclosure. 3. The enclosure must be a minimum size of 10 square feet of permeable land per chicken. 4. The enclosure must provide protection for the chickens from the elements, and ...
Dog Leash Laws
Buena Park, California law bars any dog owner or handler from letting a dog onto a public street, sidewalk, park, school ground or unenclosed lot unless it is held on a leash by an able-bodied person. The rule, Buena Park Municipal Code § 6.20.070, applies citywide and pairs with separate duties to pick up after the dog and to keep a female dog confined while in heat.
Buena Park Dog Leash and Restraint Law
Some RestrictionsBuena Park Municipal Code § 6.20.070
No person owning or harboring any dog shall allow or permit such dog, whether licensed or not, to be upon a public street, sidewalk, park, school ground, public place or upon any unenclosed lot or land except when held under leash by an able-bodied person.
Breed Restrictions
Buena Park, California requires a city permit before anyone may keep a dog that has been declared "potentially dangerous" or "vicious" under Buena Park Municipal Code Chapter 6.20. The declaration follows a hearing before the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority executive director, and keeping the dog afterward without the required permit and safety conditions is a criminal violation enforced by SEAACA and the police department.
Buena Park Dangerous Dog Permit Requirement
Significant RestrictionsBuena Park Municipal Code § 6.20.140
It is unlawful for any person to own or have possession, custody, charge, or control of any potentially dangerous dog as defined in Section 6.04.190, or a previously declared vicious dog as described in Section 6.04.220, without obtaining a permit from the animal control officer as prescribed in Chapter 6.30 of this title. The fee for this permit shall be as established per resolution of the ci...
Beekeeping
Buena Park allows up to four hives on RS-zoned residential lots, but only with a ministerial permit, a 10-foot setback, and no shared property line with a school, daycare, or park.
Buena Park Backyard Beekeeping Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsBuena Park Municipal Code § 19.348.050.C (Beekeeping)
Unless otherwise permitted by conditional use permit, not more than 4 bee hives shall be permitted within any RS-zoned property subject to the following development and operational standards: 1. The number of hives fluctuates slightly depending on the season; properties found with more than four hives will first be issued a warning to reduce the number of hives prior to initiating further en...
Exotic Pets
Buena Park, California bans owning, possessing or controlling any endangered species, exotic animal or wild animal within city limits, with a narrow exception for a live animal event approved by the director of community development. Buena Park Municipal Code § 6.22.060 makes an unapproved primate, big cat, venomous or large reptile, bear, coyote or similar animal a citywide violation, not just a zoning issue.
Buena Park Exotic and Wild Animal Ban
Heavy RestrictionsBuena Park Municipal Code § 6.22.060
It is unlawful for any person to own or have in his or her possession, custody, charge or control any endangered species, exotic animal as defined in Section 6.04.110 or wild animal as defined in Section 6.04.230 unless approved by the director of community development, as a live animal event.
Pet Limits
Buena Park caps most households at three dogs over six months old, plus only one unspayed female dog, unless the property runs a licensed kennel, hospital, or pet shop.
Buena Park Dog Limit: Three Per Address
Some RestrictionsBuena Park Municipal Code § 6.20.040
Unless otherwise permitted by the zoning code of the city, no person shall keep or maintain more than three dogs that have attained the age of six months, at any location within the city unless the person, family, or group of persons keeping or maintaining such dogs is operating a bona fide animal clinic or hospital or a duly licensed pet shop, dog kennel, circus, carnival, traveling show, mena...
Cat Rules
Buena Park caps most addresses at three cats over six months old, but unlike dogs, cats are exempt from the citywide at-large restriction.
Buena Park Cat Limit and At-Large Exemption
Some RestrictionsBuena Park Municipal Code § 6.22.010
Unless otherwise permitted by the zoning code of the city, no person shall keep or maintain more than three cats that have attained the age of six months, at any street address within the city unless the person, family or group of persons keeping or maintaining such cats is operating a bona fide animal clinic or hospital or a duly licensed pet shop, cat kennel, circus, carnival, traveling show,...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Buena Park limits any address to one unspayed female dog unless the owner holds a city breeding permit: a numeric cap rather than a blanket spay mandate.
Buena Park Unspayed Female Dog Limit
Some RestrictionsBuena Park Municipal Code § 6.20.040(B)
No person shall keep or maintain more than one unspayed female dog at any location within the city unless the person, family, or group of persons keeping or maintaining such dogs is operating a bona fide animal hospital or a duly licensed pet shop, dog kennel, circus, carnival, traveling show, menagerie, or dog exhibition at such street address or has obtained a breeding permit per Section 6.20...
Pet Store Rules
Buena Park requires every pet shop, boarding kennel, or grooming parlor to hold a city permit, pass routine inspections, and follow sanitation and sale-age rules.
Buena Park Pet Shop Permit Requirement
Some RestrictionsBuena Park Municipal Code § 6.40.020
Every person who owns, conducts or operates a pet shop, boarding kennel or grooming parlor or other similar business shall secure a permit from the animal control officer as prescribed in Chapter 6.30 of this title. The fee for such permit shall be as established per resolution of the city council. The animal control officer may impose conditions to secure the purposes of this chapter upon a pe...
Pet Groomer Rules
Buena Park requires anyone operating a grooming parlor, pet shop, or boarding kennel to hold an animal control officer permit, with routine inspections to enforce compliance.
Buena Park Pet Groomer Permit Required
Significant RestrictionsBuena Park Municipal Code § 6.40.020
Every person who owns, conducts or operates a pet shop, boarding kennel or grooming parlor or other similar business shall secure a permit from the animal control officer as prescribed in Chapter 6.30 of this title. The fee for such permit shall be as established per resolution of the city council. Announced or unannounced routine inspections of the pet shop, boarding kennel or grooming parlor ...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Buena Park allows veterinary clinics only with a conditional use permit in the CS and CG commercial zones, as an incidental use in CR, and by right (unless near a residential zone) in the CM and ML zones.
Veterinary Clinic Zoning in Buena Park
Significant RestrictionsBuena Park Municipal Code § 19.512.010 (Table 19.512.010)
Table 19.512.010 USES PERMITTED—COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ZONES. Columns: CO / CS / CG / CR / CM / MR / ML / MH. Row 'Veterinary clinic.' reads: CO — / CS C / CG C / CR I / CM Pc / MR — / ML Pc / MH —. C = "Conditional use—use eligible for consideration under the conditional use procedure (Section 19.128.020) and permitted only if a conditional use permit is approved." Pc = "Automatically permi...
Bird Protection
Buena Park caps how many pet birds a household may keep and sets a 50-foot setback for outdoor aviaries, though up to four small caged birds are exempt if housed indoors.
Buena Park Pet Bird Keeping Limits
Some RestrictionsBuena Park Municipal Code § 6.22.110 (Birds)
no person or persons, firm or corporation shall keep or maintain or cause to be kept or maintained within the city any canary, parrot, parakeet, macaw, or fowl as defined in Chapter 6.04 of this title, any bird of prey, or other bird, except under the following conditions: 1. No person shall raise, keep or have in his or her possession in the city, any live adult fowl or any other bird which...
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