Animal Ordinances in Hesperia, CA (2026)
7 verified animal ordinances for Hesperia, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Hesperia Development Code Title 16, Chapter 16.20, Article XIII (Animal Regulations) — together with the Animal Quantities Matrix referenced in §16.20.690 — allows female chickens and small livestock in residential and agricultural zones on a per-square-foot basis. In R-1 and Low Density Residential (LDR) zones (7,200 sf to one acre) 2 chickens are permitted per 3,500 sf, not to exceed 25 per acre. Roosters, peafowl and other male fowl are limited to 1 per 14,000 sf, with lots over 18,000 sf allowed up to 10% of permitted birds as males. Animal-keeping areas must be maintained to control odor under Title 6.
Hesperia chickens and livestock — lot-size-based limits, restricted male fowl
Some RestrictionsDog Leash Laws
Hesperia contracts with San Bernardino County Animal Care & Control for animal regulation. Under San Bernardino County Code Title 3, Division 2 (the County Animal Control Ordinance) which applies in Hesperia, dogs must be restrained on a leash not exceeding 6 feet when off the owner's property, and dogs running at large are prohibited.
Dog Leash Laws in Hesperia, CA
Some RestrictionsBreed Restrictions
Hesperia does not impose breed-specific bans. California Food & Agricultural Code §31683 preempts cities from declaring any specific dog breed inherently dangerous or vicious, though Hesperia and San Bernardino County may require spay/neuter of specific breeds and regulate individual dogs declared dangerous after an incident.
Dog Breed Restrictions in Hesperia, CA
Few RestrictionsBeekeeping
Hesperia Development Code §16.20.690 is titled 'Allowable Animals — Apiary and Residential/Agricultural Designations' and treats apiaries as a regulated land use whose numeric limits are set by the Animal Quantities Matrix referenced in the section. In addition, California Food & Agricultural Code §29040 requires every person owning or possessing an apiary in the state to register annually with the San Bernardino County Agricultural Commissioner (administered through the statewide BeeWhere program). Hive setbacks from dwellings follow the 70-ft open-enclosure standard in §16.20.050 unless a more specific apiary distance is set by the matrix.
Hesperia beekeeping — apiary land-use designation plus California state registration
Some RestrictionsExotic Pets
Hesperia does not authorize wild or exotic animals as pets by right. The Development Code's Animal Quantities Matrix (referenced in §16.20.690) provides that 'exotic animals are only allowed if approved as part of an exotic animal permit.' Independently, California Fish & Game Code §2118 and 14 CCR §671 list 'restricted species' (most non-domesticated mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians and fish) that may not be possessed in California without a permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Common exotic pets such as ferrets, monkeys, large cats, hedgehogs, sugar gliders and many reptiles are prohibited or require a CDFW restricted-species permit.
Hesperia exotic pets — state restricted-species list controls; local permit required by Development Code
Heavy RestrictionsWildlife Feeding
Hesperia Municipal Code does not contain a stand-alone ordinance prohibiting the feeding of wildlife. The City's Wild Animals page warns residents about Mojave rattlesnakes, mountain lions, Africanized bees and mosquitoes and directs nuisance-wildlife complaints to Animal Control (760) 947-1700, but it does not impose a feeding ban. State law fills the gap: California Fish & Game Code §4150 makes it unlawful to harass non-game mammals (which includes feeding that habituates them), and 14 CCR §251.1 prohibits harassing wildlife in a manner that disrupts their normal behavior. Feeding bears, mountain lions and coyotes is specifically discouraged by CDFW because it creates public-safety hazards subject to depredation permits or destruction under §4181.
Hesperia wildlife feeding — no specific local prohibition; state and county rules control
Few RestrictionsAnimal Hoarding
Hesperia controls hoarding-type conditions in two ways. First, Development Code §16.20.690 and the Animal Quantities Matrix cap the number of animals allowed per lot based on lot size and zoning (e.g., 15 small animals per 10,000 sf for sub-acre lots; 150 per acre for larger parcels), making it a Development Code violation to keep more than the maximums. Second, California Penal Code §597 (cruelty) and §597.1 (failure to provide care; impoundment authority) criminalize keeping animals in conditions of neglect — the statute reached by Hesperia Animal Control when a hoarding situation produces inadequate food, water, shelter or veterinary care. Spay/neuter is mandatory for animals subject to violations (Hesperia §6.08.020).
Hesperia animal hoarding — numeric limits in §16.20.690 plus Penal Code §597 cruelty enforcement
Heavy RestrictionsLooking for San Bernardino County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Hesperia city rules.
Animal Ordinances in San Bernardino County →