Animal Ordinances in Menifee, CA (2026)
10 verified animal ordinances for Menifee, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Menifee's Development Code allows up to 4 hens or ducks on residential lots as small as 7,200 sq ft and up to 12 (or 50 on 40,000 sq ft) in agricultural and rural residential zones, with coops at least 20 feet from property lines and 50 feet from neighboring residences. Crowing fowl such as roosters are limited to 1 on a minimum 1-acre lot in AG and RR zones only, and livestock numbers are tied to lot size.
Hens allowed by zone; roosters need 1 acre in rural zones
Some RestrictionsMenifee Development Code Sections 9.235.030, 9.235.040, Table 9.235.030-1; Menifee Municipal Code Chapter 10.02 (Ord. 2018-252)
Unless specified below, no animals or fowl, other than domestic pets, poultry and rabbits for the exclusive use of the occupant, shall be permitted on lots of less than 20,000 square feet. The keeping of animals is only allowed as an accessory use, except in the AG zone. [Section 9.235.030] ... A. Animals must be kept and maintained in an enclosed area, located not less than 20 feet from any pr...
Dog Leash Laws
Menifee contracts animal control to Animal Friends of the Valleys (AFV) and follows Riverside County-style animal regulations. Dogs must be licensed at 4 months (or within 30 days of moving in), vaccinated against rabies, and kept under control — off-leash or 'at large' dogs are subject to impoundment. Dogs in public must be on a leash held by a competent person; off-leash dogs are only permitted in designated areas such as a fenced dog park or private property with permission.
Dog Leash Laws in Menifee
Some RestrictionsBreed Restrictions
Menifee has no breed-specific restrictions -- no breed of dog is banned or specially regulated. The City's dangerous-animal rules (Municipal Code Chapter 10.06) are based entirely on an individual animal's behavior, and California law prohibits cities from regulating dogs by breed except for spay/neuter programs.
No breed bans; dogs regulated by behavior, not breed
Few RestrictionsCal. Food & Agr. Code Section 31683
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a city or county from adopting or enforcing its own program for the control of potentially dangerous or vicious dogs that may incorporate all, part, or none of this chapter, or that may punish a violation of this chapter as a misdemeanor or may impose a more restrictive program to control potentially dangerous or vicious dogs. Except as prov...
Beekeeping
Menifee does not publish a standalone beekeeping ordinance. Apiaries are regulated as an accessory use under the Title 9 Development Code (Dec 2019), generally permitted in rural-residential and agricultural zones with setback requirements. State law requires apiary registration with the county agricultural commissioner under Cal. Food & Agric. Code §29040 (registration within 30 days of establishment). Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner administers the state apiary program.
Beekeeping in Menifee
Some RestrictionsExotic Pets
Exotic pet keeping in Menifee is governed primarily by California state law. CCR Title 14 §671 (administered by California Department of Fish and Wildlife) lists restricted species — including most non-native wild mammals, reptiles, and birds — that may not be imported, transported, or possessed without a CDFW permit. Common exotics such as ferrets, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, monkeys, and most non-native venomous snakes are prohibited as pets statewide. Menifee defers to state law and Riverside County Department of Animal Services for enforcement; there is no separate local exotic-pet permit beyond zoning use limits.
Exotic Pets in Menifee
Heavy RestrictionsWildlife Feeding
Menifee does not publish a dedicated wildlife-feeding ordinance; the city defers to California Fish & Game Code §251.1, which prohibits harassment of wildlife, and CCR Title 14 §251.3, which prohibits intentional feeding of big game mammals (deer, elk, antelope, bear, wild pig, mountain lion). General nuisance provisions in Title 11 apply if feeding creates rodent, coyote, or sanitation problems. Riverside County's Inland Empire setting includes mountain lions, coyotes, bobcats, and mule deer in the surrounding hills.
Wildlife Feeding in Menifee
Some RestrictionsAnimal Hoarding
Menifee does not have a standalone animal-hoarding ordinance. Hoarding cases are addressed through California Penal Code §597 (animal cruelty/neglect), Penal Code §597f (failure to provide care), and Menifee's pet-limit thresholds — keeping 5+ dogs requires a kennel permit and 10+ cats requires a cattery permit per the Planning Division. Riverside County Department of Animal Services investigates and may seize animals under Cal. Penal Code §597.1 (humane officers' authority).
Animal Hoarding in Menifee
Heavy RestrictionsPet Limits
Menifee allows 1 to 4 dogs on a property in any zone without a Conditional Use Permit. Keeping 5 or more dogs (4 months or older) is a kennel, and 10 or more cats is a cattery -- both require an animal services license plus land use approval, generally on at least 1 acre.
Up to 4 dogs without a permit; kennel license at 5 dogs
Some RestrictionsMenifee Development Code Section 9.235.050, Table 9.235.050-1; Menifee Municipal Code Section 10.04.05 (Ord. 2018-252)
No Kennel -- All zones -- 1-4 dogs: One to 4 dogs on a property is allowed without a Conditional Use Permit issued from the Community Development Department. Class I Kennel -- AG, RM, RR5, RR2, RR1, RR1/2, LDR-1, LDR-2 -- 5-10 dogs -- 1 acre: Any building, structure, enclosure or premises whereupon, or within which, 5 to 10 dogs, four months or older of age, are kept or maintained. A Class I Ke...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Menifee requires dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered. An unaltered dog may be kept only with a certificate of sterility or a special unaltered dog license; keeping any unspayed or unaltered cat four months or older is flatly unlawful.
Spay/neuter required; unaltered dogs need special license
Heavy RestrictionsMenifee Municipal Code Sections 10.04.03, 10.04.13 (Ord. 2018-252)
SECTION 10.04.03: Control of unspayed and unaltered cats. It is unlawful for any person to own, harbor or keep any unspayed or unaltered cat four months of age or older within the City of Menifee. ... SECTION 10.04.13: Mandatory spaying and neutering. A. Altered dogs and cats. 1. Requirement. No person may own, keep, or harbor an unaltered and unspayed dog or cat in violation of this section. A...
Microchipping
Menifee requires every dog and cat over four months of age to be implanted with an identifying microchip, with the number registered with animal services and updated on any change of ownership, address or phone number.
All dogs and cats over 4 months must be microchipped
Heavy RestrictionsMenifee Municipal Code Section 10.04.14 (Ord. 2018-252)
SECTION 10.04.14: Mandatory microchipping of dogs and cats. A. All dogs and cats over the age of four months must be implanted with an identifying microchip. The owner or custodian is required to provide the microchip number to animal services, and shall notify animal services of any change of ownership of the dog or cat, or any change of address or telephone number. Nothing in this section sup...
Looking for Riverside County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Menifee city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Riverside County →