Animal Ordinances in Daly City, CA (2026)
6 verified animal ordinances for Daly City, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Daly City bans roosters (Section 6.08.080) and all pigs, hogs, and swine (Section 6.08.040) anywhere in the city. Chickens and other fowl are not prohibited outright but may not run at large or enter neighboring property, and horses require an annual permit with half-acre minimum lot size.
Roosters and swine banned; hens allowed if contained
Significant RestrictionsDaly City Municipal Code Secs. 6.08.080, 6.08.040 (Ord. No. 1470, Sec. 3, Feb. 12, 2024)
No person shall keep in any place in the city any roosters. No person shall keep in any place in the city any pigs, hogs or swine.
Breed Restrictions
Daly City has no breed-specific restrictions. Its Municipal Code regulates dangerous and vicious animals based solely on behavior, using San Mateo County's own program adopted in place of the state Food and Agricultural Code procedures, and California law (Food & Agricultural Code Section 31683) forbids declaring any breed dangerous or vicious.
No breed bans; behavior-based dangerous-dog program
Some RestrictionsDaly City Municipal Code Sec. 6.04.150(k) (Ord. No. 1470, Sec. 2, Feb. 12, 2024)
(k) The procedures and/or definitions pertaining to potentially dangerous and vicious dogs set forth in the California Food and Agricultural Code Chapter 9, beginning with section 31601, are not adopted and do not apply within San Mateo County. As authorized by Food and Agricultural Code section 31683, the County has adopted its own program for regulation of dangerous and vicious dogs as contai...
Exotic Pets
Daly City Municipal Code Section 6.04.060(e) bars possessing any animal designated dangerous or vicious by another jurisdiction without prior written permission from the animal control manager, and the adopted fee schedule includes a $100 annual Fancier Permit and/or Exotic Pet fee. State law (14 CCR 671) separately bans many exotic species outright.
Out-of-county dangerous animals need written approval
Some RestrictionsDaly City Municipal Code Sec. 6.04.060(e) (Ord. No. 1470, Sec. 2, Feb. 12, 2024)
(e) No Person shall possess within San Mateo County any animal designated by another jurisdiction as "potentially dangerous", "dangerous", or "vicious," or other designation based on the animal's potential danger to humans and/or animals, without previously notifying Animal Control and receiving express written permission from the Animal Control Manager for the animal's presence or residence in...
Wildlife Feeding
Daly City Municipal Code Section 6.08.090 makes it unlawful to feed any bird you do not own, or to place feed intended to attract birds, on any city property or right-of-way (except city-authorized feeding stations) and on any other person's private property without express permission.
Feeding wild birds banned on public and others' property
Heavy RestrictionsDaly City Municipal Code Sec. 6.08.090(A) (Ord. No. 1470, Sec. 3, Feb. 12, 2024)
Except at feeding stations that are expressly authorized in writing by the city manager or designee, it is unlawful for any person to do the following on any city property or within city rights-of-way: 1. To feed any bird that is not legally owned by that person; or 2. To place any feed of any kind that is intended for consumption by or to attract any bird of any kind that is not legally owned ...
Pet Limits
No Daly City ordinance sets a fixed numeric limit on the number of dogs or cats per household. Under the countywide San Mateo County animal control program that Daly City has adopted, keeping more than four dogs and cats requires an annual Fancier Permit, and unaltered dogs or cats over six months require a breeding permit.
No fixed pet cap; 5+ dogs/cats triggers Fancier Permit
Light RestrictionsSan Mateo County Health, Animal Control & Licensing - Breeders & Fanciers; Daly City Municipal Code Sec. 6.04.350(d)
Any person who owns or harbors a cat or dog over the age of six months which has not been spayed or neutered, shall procure a permit for breeding cats or dogs issued by San Mateo County Animal Control under Section 6.12.030 of the Municipal Code. This annual permit is required in addition to licensing the animals. Note: Not all cities in San Mateo County allow breeding and/or Breeder Permits. P...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Daly City does not require all pets to be sterilized, but Municipal Code Section 6.04.280 charges a refundable $100 spay/neuter fee to redeem any impounded unaltered animal and makes sterilization mandatory after a second impound within three years. Unaltered dogs and cats over six months also need a county breeding permit.
Spay/neuter required after impound or dangerous finding
Few RestrictionsDaly City Municipal Code Sec. 6.04.280 (Ord. No. 1470, Sec. 2, Feb. 12, 2024)
6.04.280 - Redemption and Spay/Neuter Fee. (a) Upon redemption of any impounded unaltered animal, the Person responsible for the care, custody or control of any animal will be required to pay a spay or neuter fee in the amount of $100.00 in addition to the impound fees imposed under Section 6.04.350 of this Chapter. Such fee shall be refundable upon proof of spay and neuter of the animal within...
Looking for San Mateo County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Daly City city rules.
Animal Ordinances in San Mateo County →