Animal Ordinances in Whittier, CA (2026)
10 verified animal ordinances for Whittier, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Whittier only allows chickens, other fowl, and livestock in the R-E residential-estate zone, and only with a minor conditional use permit under Section 18.52.030(B). Homing pigeons follow separate Chapter 8.28 rules, including a 100-bird cap and a permit above ten birds.
Whittier Chicken and Livestock Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 18.52.030(B)
B.Uses conditionally permitted in the R-E zone:—Animals, fish, fowl (chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, etc. as defined in Section 8.28.030 of the WMC), homing pigeons of the order Columbae, kept and maintained for noncommercial purposes and not otherwise permitted as an accessory use (minor conditional use permit pursuant to Chapter 18.58);—Golf courses, privately owned;—Livestock, care and main...
Dog Leash Laws
Whittier bars animals from any city park posted against them under Section 12.44.040(N), but carves out dogs on a maximum six-foot leash for the Whittier Greenway Trail, Hellman Park, and Murphy Ranch Park. Countywide animal control, including at-large rules, follows Los Angeles County's Title 10, adopted by reference at Section 6.04.020.
Whittier Park Dog Leash Rules
Some RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 12.44.040(N)
N. Permit or allow any animal owned by or in the custody, charge, care or control of any person, with the exception of guide dogs, signal dogs and service dogs, to be at any time, either leashed or unleashed, in any city public park, or portion thereof, which park, or portion thereof, is posted with signs prohibiting such acts; provided that, notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, a...
Beekeeping
Whittier bans beekeeping outright. Municipal Code Section 8.20.010, the entirety of Chapter 8.20, states that no person shall keep, own or control bees in hives or otherwise anywhere in the city, with no residential-zone carve-out, hobbyist registration or commercial apiary permit written into the code to soften that prohibition.
Whittier Bans Beekeeping Citywide
Heavy RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 8.20.010
No person shall keep, own or control bees in hives or otherwise in the city.
Wildlife Feeding
Whittier Municipal Code Section 12.44.040(F) makes it unlawful to feed, or attempt to feed, any bird, fowl, fish, or animal in a city park, playground, or other city real property without written permission from the parks director, alongside a ban on wounding, killing, or catching wildlife there.
Whittier Ban On Feeding Park Wildlife
Some RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 12.44.040(F)
No person shall do any of the acts specified in this section within the limits or boundaries of any public park, playground or real property of the city without written permission from the director of parks, recreation and community services or his/her designee: ... F. Wound, kill or catch, feed or attempt to wound, kill, catch or feed any bird, fowl, fish or animal;
Pet Limits
Whittier runs its animal control program on the Los Angeles County Code, adopted by reference in Chapter 6.04, with local amendments spelled out section by section. One of those amendments, Section 6.04.050(D), rewrites County Code Section 10.20.038 to cap unlicensed dog-keeping at three dogs per residence before an animal facility license is required.
Whittier Caps Unlicensed Dogs At Three Per Home
Some RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 6.04.050(D), amending L.A. County Code § 10.20.038(A)
Dogs. Up to three dogs may be kept at any residence without an animal facility license, provided the dogs' owner or custodian licenses each individual dog. For purposes of this section, a service dog licensed under Section 10.20.090 is not counted toward the number of dogs kept or maintained, while such dog is serving a person who is disabled within the meaning of Government Code Sections 12926...
Cat Rules
Whittier's animal code, built on the Los Angeles County Code adopted by reference, sets its cat ceiling separately from its dog ceiling. Section 6.04.050(D) locally amends County Code Section 10.20.038(B) to allow up to five cats per residence without an animal facility license, but only if the owner keeps every cat primarily indoors.
Whittier Allows Up To Five Indoor Cats
Some RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 6.04.050(D), amending L.A. County Code § 10.20.038(B)
Cats. Up to five cats may be kept at any residence without an animal facility license, provided the cats' owner keeps all cats primarily indoors.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Whittier adopted Los Angeles County's Title 10 animal control code, but Municipal Code Section 6.04.050(F) carves out Chapter 10.20, Part 4, the county's Mandatory Spay and Neuter Program for Dogs. No citywide mandate to sterilize pet dogs exists. Owners still must license every dog over four months old and keep licenses current under Section 10.20.030.
Whittier Excludes Mandatory Dog Spay/Neuter Rule
Few RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 6.04.050(F)
F.Chapter 10.20, Part 4 "Mandatory Spay and Neuter Program for Dogs" [of the Los Angeles County Code of Ordinances] is excluded from the City's adoption of Title 10 of the Los Angeles County Code of Ordinances.
Pet Groomer Rules
Whittier's zoning code defines 'animal grooming' as bathing and trimming services for domestic and exotic animals and bars overnight boarding outright under Municipal Code Section 18.07.010. Grooming businesses are a permitted use in the C-2 Housing Overlay zone and an accessory or permitted use in the Innovation and mixed-use zones, per the citywide use tables.
Whittier Pet Grooming Zoning Standards
Some RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 18.07.010
"Animal grooming" means the commercial provision of bathing and trimming services for domestic and exotic animals. Overnight boarding is not allowed.
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Whittier requires a conditional use permit to open a small-animal veterinary hospital in the C-2 General Commercial zone under Municipal Code Section 18.52.030(I). The Innovation zone allows veterinary services as an accessory or CUP use, and the mixed-use MU zones require a CUP with kennel-specific regulations, per the zone use tables.
Whittier Veterinary Hospital Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 18.52.030(I)
The purpose of any conditional use permit shall be to ensure that the use for which the same is required will be rendered compatible with other existing and permitted uses located in the general area of the same. The following uses, each of which possesses characteristics of such unique and special form as to render impractical their operation without specific approval, shall be permitted in th...
Bird Protection
Trimming or removing a tree in Whittier isn't just about the tree. Municipal Code Section 12.40.120 folds federal migratory-bird law into the city's tree ordinance, requiring that any interaction with wildlife during tree work follow the conditions in the parkway tree manual, on top of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918's protections for nesting birds.
Whittier Ties Tree Work To Bird Protection
Light RestrictionsWhittier Municipal Code § 12.40.120
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) of 1918 was implemented for the protection of migratory birds. Interaction with wildlife must adhere to the requirements and conditions stipulated in the parkway tree manual.
Looking for Los Angeles County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Whittier city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Los Angeles County →