Animal Ordinances in Rohnert Park, CA (2026)
12 verified animal ordinances for Rohnert Park, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Rohnert Park bars keeping livestock, a term the code defines to include chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys, anywhere within city limits unless the zoning code expressly allows it on that particular lot, under Municipal Code § 6.04.170; a temporary circus, carnival or licensed show is the only exception.
Rohnert Park Backyard Chickens and Livestock Rule
Significant RestrictionsRohnert Park Municipal Code § 6.04.170
No person shall stable, keep, pasture or maintain livestock within the limits of the city, unless expressly allowed to do so by the zoning code. No person owning any interest in any lot or parcel of real property within the limits of the city shall permit livestock to be owned, kept, possessed or maintained upon such lot or parcel of real property unless expressly permitted by the zoning code. ...
Dog Leash Laws
Rohnert Park bars dogs from any public street, road, alley, or public place unless leashed to no more than six feet or safely confined in a vehicle. Dogs are also barred from city parks and playgrounds off-leash outside designated dog parks. Violating animals may be impounded, and service, trial, and law-enforcement dogs are exempt.
Rohnert Park Dog Leash and Restraint Law
Some RestrictionsRohnert Park Municipal Code §§ 6.14.010, 6.14.030
B.No person owning or otherwise having a dog in his or her care, charge, control, custody or possession shall cause, permit or allow such dog to be in or upon any public street, road, alley or other public place unless such dog is restrained and under control by a leash no more than six feet in length or confined in a vehicle in a manner allowed under Section 6.04.290 of this Title.C.The restra...
Breed Restrictions
Rohnert Park does not ban any dog breed outright, but Municipal Code § 6.02.070(Q) defines 'pit bull' by breed and physical traits, and § 6.04.120 lets a patrol sergeant declare any dog potentially dangerous or dangerous after an unprovoked attack, triggering registration, confinement, and possible sterilization requirements.
Rohnert Park Dangerous Dog Determination Process
Significant RestrictionsRohnert Park Municipal Code § 6.04.120(A)
A.Potentially Dangerous Determinations. If an animal is deemed potentially dangerous by the patrol sergeant in accordance with Section 6.04.010, subsection (E), the animal control officer may immediately impose reasonable conditions upon the owner of the animal to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the public. ... Such conditions may include, but are not limited to, the followin...
Beekeeping
Within the Sonoma Mountain Village Planned Development (SVPD), Rohnert Park's zoning table permits residential yard beekeeping of up to two hives by right in the T3 and T4 transect zones, and commercial roof beekeeping of up to ten hives, set back at least twenty feet from the property line, in the T5, T6, CP and CB zones.
Beekeeping Rules in Rohnert Park's SVPD
Some RestrictionsRohnert Park Municipal Code § 17.06.840, Table 1, Art. XV.A (SVPD)
T3 T4 T5 T6 CS CP CB T7 Additional Use Regulations ... Beekeeping—Commercial Roof (up to 10 hives) 7 P P P P P Beekeeping—Residential Yard (up to 2 hives) P P ... 7 Minimum twenty feet away from property line.
Exotic Pets
Rohnert Park bans keeping any wild or exotic animal without proof of required federal and state permits and prohibits letting one run at large. Displaying or sponsoring a display of wild or exotic animals anywhere in the city is unlawful outright, with narrow exceptions for accredited zoos, veterinarians, and accredited sanctuaries.
Rohnert Park Wild and Exotic Animal Rules
Heavy RestrictionsRohnert Park Municipal Code §§ 6.16.010, 6.16.030, 6.16.050, 6.16.090
No owner of any wild or exotic animal shall maintain such animal without proof of proper federal and state permits, inspections, and other required approvals. ... No person shall permit or allow any exotic animal to run at large. The animal control officer may seize and impound any exotic animal found in violation of this section and such impoundment shall be pursuant to this Title. ... It shal...
Pet Limits
A Rohnert Park property owner or resident cannot keep more than three dogs or four cats without a hobby or commercial kennel license under Municipal Code § 6.04.140. Cross more than ten of either species and you fall into the city's commercial or hobby kennel licensing scheme entirely.
Rohnert Park Household Dog and Cat Limit
Some RestrictionsRohnert Park Municipal Code § 6.04.140
No person shall keep or have upon any premises owned, occupied, or controlled by him or her within the city more than three dogs or four cats without a hobby or commercial kennel license.
Cat Rules
Rohnert Park requires every cat over four months old to wear a city license tag and bars letting an unaltered cat roam loose on any public or private property. Animal control can impound a violating cat and give the owner fifteen days to sterilize it or prove it already is. Residents trapping more than two feral cats a month must notify neighbors first.
Rohnert Park Cat Licensing and At-Large Rules
Some RestrictionsRohnert Park Municipal Code §§ 6.04.150, 6.04.390, 6.12.010
No person owning or otherwise having a cat over four months of age in his or her care, charge, control, custody or possession shall cause, permit or allow such cat to be unconfined in or upon any public street, road, alley or other public or private place, including the exterior yards of the animal owner's property, unless such cat is spayed or neutered. An animal control officer may seize or i...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Rohnert Park requires an unconfined cat found outside its owner's yard to be spayed or neutered under § 6.04.150, and separately bars anyone from keeping an unaltered pit bull within city limits under § 6.04.160, unless one of six listed exceptions applies.
Rohnert Park Mandatory Spay-Neuter for Cats and Pit Bulls
Heavy RestrictionsRohnert Park Municipal Code §§ 6.04.150, 6.04.160(A)
No person owning or otherwise having a cat over four months of age in his or her care, charge, control, custody or possession shall cause, permit or allow such cat to be unconfined in or upon any public street, road, alley or other public or private place, including the exterior yards of the animal owner's property, unless such cat is spayed or neutered. An animal control officer may seize or i...
Microchipping
Rohnert Park does not require every pet to be microchipped, but Municipal Code § 6.08.150 makes it mandatory the second time the same animal is impounded under the same owner. The animal must be chipped and altered within fifteen days of release, at the owner's expense, with the cost added to the redemption fee.
Rohnert Park Mandatory Microchip After Repeat Impound
Light RestrictionsRohnert Park Municipal Code § 6.08.150
No dog or other animal shall be released by the animal control officer or her or his deputies until all charges, costs of redemption, and costs of current year's license charge, if any, have been paid by the owner. ... Upon a second impoundment of the same animal while under the same ownership, such animal shall be microchipped and altered within fifteen days of being released to the owner (at ...
Pet Groomer Rules
Rohnert Park's animal code excludes a grooming business's owners and staff from the definition of animal 'owner' while a pet is in their professional care, per § 6.02.070(O). Zoning also requires one off-street parking space per 400 square feet of floor area for animal grooming uses under § 17.16.030(C).
Rohnert Park Pet Groomer Rules
Some RestrictionsRohnert Park Municipal Code §§ 6.02.070(O), 17.16.030(C)
"Owner" or "Owner/Guardian" means any person who keeps or has charge of or provides custody or care to an animal for at least thirty consecutive days. This definition shall exclude veterinarians who are treating or caring for an animal in the regular practice of veterinary medicine as well as the owners or operators of an animal grooming business, kennel or pet shop while engaged in the regular...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Rohnert Park's zoning code lists 'Animal Hospital/Veterinary Clinic' as a conditionally-permitted use in every commercial zone: the Professional/Administrative Office (C-O), Neighborhood Commercial (C-N) and Regional Commercial (C-R) districts. That means a vet practice cannot open over the counter; it needs a Conditional Use Permit approved by the Planning Commission before the city issues a business license or building permit.
Vet Clinics Need a CUP in Rohnert Park
Significant RestrictionsRohnert Park Municipal Code § 17.06.060
C = Conditionally-permitted by planning commission. ... Animal Hospital/Veterinary Clinic C C C
Bird Protection
Rohnert Park requires birds, rabbits, rodents and reptiles to be kept in a secure enclosure at least twenty-five feet from any dwelling other than the owner's, and separately requires a city permit to keep three or more pigeons, under Municipal Code §§ 6.04.190 and 6.04.210.
Rohnert Park Pet Bird and Pigeon Rules
Some RestrictionsRohnert Park Municipal Code §§ 6.04.190, 6.04.210
No person shall keep on any premises owned, occupied or controlled by him or her any birds, rabbits, rodents or reptiles unless such animals are kept in an enclosure sufficient in all respects to confine such animal within such enclosure and no part of such enclosure shall be situated within twenty-five feet of any dwelling built for occupation by or occupied by human beings, except such dwelli...
Looking for Sonoma County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Rohnert Park city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Sonoma County →