Animal Ordinances in Los Banos, CA (2026)
10 verified animal ordinances for Los Banos, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Los Banos bans traditional livestock outright inside city limits and treats chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons and small exotic fowl as excluded from the by-right household-pet definition. Keeping any of those birds requires a Planning Commission use permit, in a number the Commission deems appropriate.
Los Banos Backyard Chicken & Livestock Rules
Significant RestrictionsLos Banos Municipal Code § 9-3.1815(b), (e)
It is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person to keep, possess, maintain, or harbor any of the following animals within the corporate limits of the City: ... Any horse, cow, goat, sheep, other equine, bovine, ovine, or ruminant animals, pigs, predatory wild animals, or other livestock, except that such animals may be brought into the City for any regularly scheduled authorized parade, pub...
Dog Leash Laws
Los Banos law makes it unlawful to let a dog or other animal run at large on any public street, road, alley, park or public place, and defines at-large as being off the owner's property without a substantial leash, chain, halter, rope or rein long enough to keep the animal under effective control. Spayed or neutered cats, service dogs and K-9s are exempt.
Los Banos Dog Leash and At-Large Law
Some RestrictionsLos Banos Municipal Code § 6-1.4002(a)
No person owning or otherwise having an animal (excluding cats that have been spayed or neutered) in his or her care, charge, control, custody or possession shall cause, permit, or allow such animal to run, be or remain at large on any public street, road, alley, park or other public place in the City. "At-large" shall mean the condition wherein an animal is off the premises of its owner and is...
Breed Restrictions
Los Banos does not ban dogs by breed; instead it declares a dog vicious or potentially dangerous based on documented behavior, then requires muzzling in public, $500,000 liability insurance, microchipping, mandatory sterilization, and can order the dog destroyed. Violating the muzzle, insurance, or sterilization rules is a misdemeanor with up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail.
Los Banos Vicious and Dangerous Dog Rules
Significant RestrictionsLos Banos Municipal Code § 6-1.8007
In any case where a dog determined to be vicious pursuant to this chapter is outside an enclosure, except in cases where it is inside the dwelling of its owner or keeper, which dwelling is sufficient to contain the dog, or in custody of a veterinarian, the dog shall be securely and humanely muzzled and restrained with a harness and nylon leash sufficient to restrain the dog, having a minimum te...
Beekeeping
Los Banos flatly bans beekeeping inside city limits. Los Banos Municipal Code § 6-1.9004 states that no person shall keep or maintain within the City any stand of bees, with no zoning exception, unlike the City's livestock rule in the section right before it. Violators face misdemeanor or infraction charges plus administrative penalties.
Los Banos Bans Beekeeping Citywide
Heavy RestrictionsLos Banos Municipal Code § 6-1.9004
No person shall keep or maintain within the City any stand of bees.
Exotic Pets
Los Banos bans keeping wild, exotic, dangerous or nondomestic animals without first obtaining authorization from both the California Department of Fish and Game and the City, under Los Banos Municipal Code § 6-1.9002. The City's Animal Control Officer decides whether to grant, condition or revoke that local authorization, on top of any zoning-code limits.
Los Banos Wild and Exotic Animal Permit Rule
Significant RestrictionsLos Banos Municipal Code § 6-1.9002
No person shall have, keep, maintain, breed, sell, trade or let for hire, any wild, exotic, dangerous, or nondomestic animal without first applying to and receiving special authorization from the State of California, Department of Fish and Game and the City. The keeping or maintenance of such animals shall also conform to the City zoning code. ... The Animal Control Officer may authorize the ke...
Pet Limits
Los Banos caps ownership at three dogs and three cats over four months old per premises within city limits. Owners who want more can apply to the Animal Control Services Unit for an administrative permit, which the City may grant subject to conditions protecting public health, safety and neighboring residents.
Los Banos Maximum Dogs and Cats Per Household
Some RestrictionsLos Banos Municipal Code § 6-1.4006
Except as otherwise set forth in this chapter, no person shall keep or have upon any premises owned, occupied, or controlled by him or her within the City more than three dogs and three cats over four months of age. Upon application for relief from the maximum number of dogs or cats allowed by this section, the Animal Control Services Unit may allow by administrative permit the occupant of the ...
Cat Rules
Los Banos makes it unlawful to feed a feral cat unless the feeder registers as a caretaker with the City, feeds daily without leaving excess food out, traps and spays or neuters cats over eight weeks old, ear-tips altered cats, and has trapped cats vaccinated for rabies. Unregistered feeding of feral colonies is prohibited outright.
Los Banos Feral Cat Feeding and Caretaker Rules
Some RestrictionsLos Banos Municipal Code § 6-1.4007(a)
It is unlawful for any person within the City of Los Banos to intentionally provide food, water, or other forms of sustenance to a feral cat except under the following conditions: (1) Register with the City as a caretaker of feral cats; (2) Feed feral cat(s) daily in a manner that does not leave excess food in the area; (3) Regularly trap and spay/neuter cats over the age of eight weeks; (4) Id...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
A Los Banos dog or cat impounded a third time within 12 months must be spayed or neutered, at the owner's expense, before it can be redeemed. Owners of registered breeding animals can seek a waiver by proving sterilization would devalue a nationally registered breeding animal.
Los Banos Third-Impound Mandatory Spay/Neuter Rule
Some RestrictionsLos Banos Municipal Code § 6-1.6003(e)
(e) Upon the third impound within a 12 month period, any dog or cat so impounded must be spayed or neutered at the owner's or custodian's expense prior to redemption. If the owner or custodian can prove to the Animal Control Services Unit that the animal is a valuable breeding animal and currently registered with a national organization such as the American Kennel Club and such sterilization wo...
Microchipping
Los Banos requires owners of dogs adjudicated vicious or potentially dangerous to have Animal Control microchip the dog for identification at the owner's expense, under Los Banos Municipal Code § 6-1.8010. The chip data must be logged in the dog's City license file, and the same dog must also be sterilized at the owner's cost under the same section.
Los Banos Microchip Rule for Dangerous Dogs
Some RestrictionsLos Banos Municipal Code §§ 6-1.8010, 6-1.8011
The owner or keeper of any dog found to be vicious or potentially dangerous pursuant to this chapter shall, at their expense, have a microchip, assigned by Animal Control Officer, inserted into the dog for identification purposes. The identifying information listed on the microchip shall be noted in the City licensing files for that dog. A dog that has been found to be potentially dangerous or ...
Pet Groomer Rules
Los Banos requires anyone operating a grooming parlor, pet shop, kennel or similar animal business to hold a City business license, pass an Animal Control Officer inspection, and comply with California's Lockyer-Polanco-Farr Pet Protection Act and Pet Store Animal Care Act. Facilities must meet sanitation, housing, ventilation and escape-prevention standards.
Los Banos Grooming Parlor and Pet Business Rules
Some RestrictionsLos Banos Municipal Code § 6-1.7004(a)-(b)
(a) Every person who owns, conducts, or operates a pet shop, pet store, pet dealer, commercial kennel, private kennel, boarding kennel, grooming parlor, animal menagerie, or animal shelter shall comply with all provisions of the Lockyer-Polanco-Farr Pet Protection Act (California Health and Safety Code Section 122125 et seq.), the Pet Store Animal Care Act (California Health and Safety Code Sec...