Pet Limits: Daly City vs South San Francisco
How do pet limits rules compare between Daly City, CA and South San Francisco, CA?
Daly City has fewer restrictions than South San Francisco.
Daly City, CA
San Mateo County
No Daly City ordinance sets a fixed numeric limit on the number of dogs or cats per household. Under the countywide San Mateo County animal control program that Daly City has adopted, keeping more than four dogs and cats requires an annual Fancier Permit, and unaltered dogs or cats over six months require a breeding permit.
View full Daly City rules →South San Francisco, CA
San Mateo County
In unincorporated San Mateo County, a household keeping more dogs or cats needs a permit. An animal fanciers permit covers up to a total of ten dogs and/or cats, and a kennel or cattery permit is required to keep more than ten dogs, cats, or any combination per dwelling or business.
View full South San Francisco rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Daly City | South San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Numeric city pet limit | None in Daly City Municipal Code | - |
| Fancier Permit | Required to harbor more than 4 dogs/cats; $100 annual fee | - |
| Breeding permit | Required for unaltered dogs/cats over 6 months; $150 annual fee | - |
| Licensing | Every dog and cat over 3 months must be licensed | - |
| Administering agency | San Mateo County Animal Control & Licensing, (650) 573-3726 | - |
| Animal fanciers permit | - | Up to a total of 10 dogs and/or cats (Code Section 6.16.010) |
| Kennel/cattery permit | - | More than 10 dogs, cats, or combination per dwelling/business |
| Permits issued by | - | County Planning and Building Department |
| In addition to | - | Individually licensing each dog and cat |
| Revocation | - | For inhumane treatment or failure to provide care (Section 6.16.070) |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Daly City FAQ
How many dogs can I own in Daly City?
Daly City's Municipal Code does not set a fixed maximum. However, under the countywide animal control program, harboring more than four dogs and cats combined requires an annual Fancier Permit from San Mateo County Animal Control ($100 under Daly City Municipal Code Section 6.04.350(d)), and every dog must be individually licensed.
Do I need a permit to breed my dog or cat in Daly City?
Yes. San Mateo County requires any person who owns or harbors an unaltered cat or dog over six months of age to obtain an annual breeding permit, and Daly City's fee schedule lists the Breeding Permit Fee at $150.00 (Municipal Code Section 6.04.350(d)).
South San Francisco FAQ
How many dogs or cats can I have in unincorporated San Mateo County?
Keeping up to a total of ten dogs and/or cats requires an annual animal fanciers permit under County Code Section 6.16.010. Keeping more than ten dogs, more than ten cats, or more than ten in combination requires a kennel or cattery permit from the Planning and Building Department under Chapter 6.20.
Does the Peninsula Humane Society enforce a pet limit?
PHS/SPCA states it does not enforce a numeric pet quantity limit unless cruelty is suspected, and points residents to local rules. In the unincorporated County, the controlling limits are the animal fanciers permit (up to ten) and the kennel/cattery permit (more than ten) in the County Ordinance Code.
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