Animal Ordinances in Santa Clarita, CA (2026)
14 verified animal ordinances for Santa Clarita, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Santa Clarita lets small lots keep hens outright, but roosters are barred unless the parcel is larger than one acre, and then only at one rooster per acre. Sheep, goats, potbellied pigs and other larger animals follow a sliding scale tied to lot size, with a minor use permit required once a household wants more animals than the table in Section 17.62.030 allows.
Santa Clarita Backyard Chicken and Livestock Rules
Some RestrictionsSanta Clarita, CA, Unified Development Code § 17.62.030 (Keeping of Small Animals)
A. Applicability. The keeping of small animals, such as sheep, goats, dogs, rabbits, birds and similar animals as defined in Chapter 8.08, is permitted as follows... 2 Goats, sheep, miniature horses, potbellied pigs, poultry (excluding roosters) and other similar animals. Roosters shall be permitted on lots or parcels of land greater than one (1) acre in area, at a ratio of one (1) rooster per ...
Dog Leash Laws
Santa Clarita prohibits letting a dog run loose on any street, public place or private property that isn't the owner's, under Section 8.32.010. A dog off its own property must be restrained by a substantial chain or leash not exceeding six feet in length and under the control of a competent person.
Santa Clarita Dogs Running at Large Law
Some RestrictionsSanta Clarita, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.32.010 (Dogs - Running at Large Prohibited - Exceptions)
No person owning or having charge, care, custody or control of any dog shall cause, permit or allow the same to be or to run at large upon any highway, street, lane, alley, court, or other public place, or upon any private property or premises other than those of the person owning or having charge, care, custody or control of such dog, in the City, unless such dog be restrained by a substantial...
Breed Restrictions
Santa Clarita does not ban any dog breeds. California state law (Food & Agriculture Code 31683) prohibits breed-specific legislation by local governments. Dogs are regulated based on individual behavior, not breed.
Santa Clarita Dog Breed Restrictions
Heavy RestrictionsCalifornia Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683
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 ...
Beekeeping
Beekeeping in Santa Clarita is governed by two code sections working together: Chapter 8.76 requires identification signs on off-residence apiaries, while the Unified Development Code's Table of Allowable Land Uses at Section 17.46.010 confines hives to Non-Urban zones and bars them outright from every Urban Residential zone.
Santa Clarita Backyard Beekeeping Rules
Some RestrictionsSanta Clarita, CA, Municipal Code §§ 8.76.020, 8.76.030; Unified Development Code § 17.46.010 (Table of Allowable Land Uses, Beehives)
§ 8.76.020. Signs Identifying Premises and Owner Required. Every person maintaining an apiary on premises other than that of his residence shall identify such apiary by affixing a sign thereto showing the name of the owner or person in possession of the apiary, his address, his telephone number, if any, and if there is no telephone, a statement of that fact. ... § 8.76.030. Signs on Hives—Locat...
Exotic Pets
Santa Clarita regulates exotic pets through SCMC 17.62 and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) regulations. Many exotic species are prohibited as pets in California without special permits. Venomous reptiles, primates, and large predators are restricted.
Santa Clarita Exotic & Wild Animal Regulations
Heavy RestrictionsCalifornia Department of Fish and Wildlife - Restricted Species Permits (Title 14 CCR § 671)
Restricted Species Permits are required for every person who imports, exports, transports, or possesses any restricted animal listed in Section 671(c), Title 14, of the California Code of Regulations (CCR). ... Restricted Species Permit Application/Amendment New: $155.53; Renewal and Amendment: $80.60. Required for every new permit, permit renewal or amendment of an existing permit, nonrefundab...
Wildlife Feeding
Santa Clarita Municipal Code Section 8.84.010 makes it unlawful to feed or provide food to any nondomesticated rodent or nondomesticated mammalian predator, a category the code defines to include ground squirrels, coyotes, raccoons, foxes and opossums. Enforced citywide by the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control, a violation is charged as an infraction under Section 8.84.030.
Santa Clarita Ban on Feeding Wild Predators
Significant RestrictionsSanta Clarita, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.84.010 (Providing Food for Certain Rodents or Predator Animals Prohibited)
A. Except as otherwise provided for herein, no person shall feed or in any manner provide food to a nondomesticated rodent or a nondomesticated mammalian predator. B. For purposes of this chapter: 1. "Rodent" includes ground squirrels; 2. "Mammalian predators" includes coyote, raccoon, fox and opossum.
Pet Limits
Santa Clarita caps how many dogs and cats a household may keep without an animal facility license under Section 8.20.038: up to four dogs or up to ten cats, each individually licensed, with dogs enrolled in the mandatory spay and neuter program and cats spayed, neutered and kept mainly indoors.
Santa Clarita Pet Limits Per Household
Some RestrictionsSanta Clarita, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.20.038 (Residential Dogs and Cats - Limitations)
A. Dogs. Up to four (4) dogs may be kept at any residence without an animal facility license, provided the dogs' owner or custodian licenses each individual dog and complies with the mandatory spay and neuter program for dogs, Section 8.20.350 et seq. For purposes of this section, a service dog licensed under Section 8.20.090 is not counted toward the number of dogs kept or maintained while suc...
Cat Rules
Santa Clarita's only cat-specific confinement rule targets cat kennels: Section 8.32.070 requires anyone who owns or operates a cat kennel to keep every cat under proper confinement on the premises and bars letting kennel cats run at large. Violating it is a misdemeanor under Section 8.04.060(B), punishable under Penal Code Section 19.
Santa Clarita Cat Kennel Confinement Rules
Some RestrictionsSanta Clarita, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.32.070 (Cat Kennel Requirements)
Every person owning or operating any cat kennel shall keep all cats therein under proper confinement on the premises and shall not cause, permit, or allow such cats to be or to run at large.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Santa Clarita requires every dog over four months old to be spayed or neutered unless the owner instead obtains an annual unaltered dog license under Section 8.20.355. Section 8.20.350 makes it unlawful to own an unaltered dog without that license, and penalties escalate from a $250 infraction to a misdemeanor.
Santa Clarita Mandatory Dog Spay/Neuter Law
Significant RestrictionsSanta Clarita, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.20.350 (Mandatory Spaying, Neutering of Dogs)
A. No person may own, keep, or harbor a dog over the age of four (4) months in violation of this section. An owner or custodian of an unaltered dog must have the dog spayed or neutered or obtain an unaltered dog license in accordance with Section 8.20.355. B. The owner or custodian of a dog which is unable to be spayed or neutered without a high likelihood of suffering serious bodily harm or de...
Microchipping
Every dog over four months old in Santa Clarita must carry an implanted microchip under Section 8.20.185, and owners must give the Department of Animal Care and Control the chip number and update it with the department and the chip's national registry whenever the dog changes owners, address or phone number.
Santa Clarita Dog Microchipping Requirement
Some RestrictionsSanta Clarita, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.20.185 (Microchipping of Dogs Required); Sec. 8.20.375(C)
All dogs over the age of four (4) months must be implanted with an identifying microchip. The owner or custodian is required to provide the microchip number to the department, and shall notify the department and the national registry applicable to the implanted chip of a change of ownership of the dog, or a change of address or telephone number. ... There will be no fine for failure to microchi...
Coyote Management
Feeding coyotes and other wild predators is illegal in Santa Clarita. Municipal Code Section 8.84.010 bans providing food to any nondomesticated mammalian predator, a term the chapter defines to include coyote, raccoon, fox and opossum, along with nondomesticated rodents such as ground squirrels.
Santa Clarita Coyote and Predator Feeding Ban
Significant RestrictionsSanta Clarita, CA, Municipal Code § 8.84.010
§ 8.84.010. Providing Food for Certain Rodents or Predator Animals Prohibited. A. Except as otherwise provided for herein, no person shall feed or in any manner provide food to a nondomesticated rodent or a nondomesticated mammalian predator. B. For purposes of this chapter: 1. "Rodent" includes ground squirrels; 2. "Mammalian predators" includes coyote, raccoon, fox and opossum.
Pet Store Rules
Santa Clarita doesn't ban pet shops from selling dogs or cats, but Section 8.40.100 requires every kennel or pet shop license holder to report to Animal Care and Control a regular list of animals sold and to have every dog in its custody vaccinated for rabies before sale.
Santa Clarita Pet Shop Vaccination Rules
Some RestrictionsSanta Clarita, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.08.200 (Pet Shop); Sec. 8.40.100
"Pet shop" means any place of business where dogs under four (4) months of age, or cats, monkeys, birds, reptiles, fish, or any other animals to be used as pets, are kept for sale. ... Each holder of a kennel or pet shop license within the City of Santa Clarita is required to provide the Department of Animal Care and Control with a regular listing of all animals sold, including the name and add...
Pet Groomer Rules
Any pet grooming business in Santa Clarita, whether a storefront grooming parlor or mobile van, is an "animal facility" under the municipal code and must hold a Department of Animal Care and Control license before opening. Operating without one is a misdemeanor. The license requires a Regional Planning zoning sign-off and an inspection before the city will issue it.
Santa Clarita Pet Groomer Licensing Rules
Some RestrictionsSanta Clarita, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.08.031 (Animal Facility); Sec. 8.28.060(A) (License Required)
"Animal facility" means a lot, building, structure, enclosure or premises for any animal-related business or organization, including, but not limited to, a nonprofit humane organization animal facility (as defined in Section 8.08.175), a grooming shop, a pet shop, a boarding facility, and a breeding facility, which is required to be licensed under Section 8.28.060. ... Any person, including a n...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Santa Clarita treats veterinary clinics and hospitals as commercial use types with a zone-by-zone permit ladder: outright prohibited in every urban residential zone, conditional-use-permitted in rural non-urban zones, and by-right only in commercial and industrial zones. Overnight boarding pushes a business from clinic to hospital status with its own permit tier.
Santa Clarita Veterinary Clinic Zoning Rules
Significant RestrictionsSanta Clarita, CA, Unified Development Code § 17.43.010 (Commercial Use Types – Animal Sales and Services)
i. Veterinary Clinic—includes a fully enclosed veterinary facility providing routine examinations and treatment of small animals (less than two hundred fifty (250) pounds), including vaccinations, and may include short-term boarding (not overnight) and grooming services for patients. Boarding shall be in accordance with the provisions of Section 17.66.090 (Kennels). ... j. Veterinary Hospital—i...
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County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Santa Clarita city rules.
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