Animal Ordinances in Menifee, CA (2026)
8 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
Light 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 bars any dog from running at large, and its Municipal Code Section 10.04.01 defines "at large" to require physical restraint by a leash no longer than six feet, always held by the owner or handler. Section 10.04.160(A) makes it unlawful for an owner to permit a dog to run at large, and violations run through Animal Services' infraction and administrative citation process.
Menifee Dog Leash Law: 6-Foot Maximum
Some RestrictionsMenifee Code of Ordinances § 10.04.01 (Definitions, "AT LARGE")
AT LARGE. Any dog which is off the premises of its owner, custodian or caretaker and which is not under physical restraint by a leash of a size and material appropriate to the size and temperament of the dog and which is held by a person capable of restraining such dog, or is not otherwise physically restrained by some other device or instrumentality, except that such device or instrumentality ...
Breed 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
Heavy 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...
Exotic Pets
Menifee's animal control code, Municipal Code Section 10.04.180(G)-(H), bans trapping, capturing, or keeping skunks as pets citywide under a standing rabies quarantine, and requires any other exotic or hybrid animal, from big cats and primates to venomous snakes, to be vaccinated and/or quarantined under state law. The Animal Services Director, the City Manager or a designee, enforces the chapter and can clear a skunk for transport only under a state health permit.
Menifee Bans Skunks as Pets, Regulates Other Exotic Animals
Significant RestrictionsMenifee Code of Ordinances § 10.04.180(G)-(H)
(G) In order to protect the public health from the hazard of rabies which has been found to exist in skunks, a quarantine is imposed to continue until released by the Director, whereby it is prohibited to trap or capture skunks for pets; to trap, capture, or hold skunks in captivity for any reason; to transport skunks from or into the City of Menifee except pursuant to a permit issued by the ...
Pet 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
Significant 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...
Cat Rules
Menifee requires every cat four months or older to be spayed or neutered, making it unlawful under Municipal Code Section 10.04.030 to own or keep an unaltered cat in the city. Cat licensing itself stays optional under Section 10.04.040, and anyone trapping a cat on their property must post a visible warning sign and follow strict time and release limits under Section 10.04.170.
Menifee Cat Spay/Neuter, Licensing and Trapping
Some RestrictionsMenifee Code of Ordinances §§ 10.04.030, 10.04.170
§ 10.04.030 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. (Ord. 2018-252, passed 12-5-2018) § 10.04.170 CAT TRAPPING. It is unlawful for any person to set or maintain an operating trap for a cat unless a sign is posted on the property stating that such a trap is i...
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
Some 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
Some 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...
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