Animal Ordinances in San Luis Obispo County, CA (2026)
14 rules for unincorporated San Luis Obispo County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Keeping chickens, poultry, horses, and other livestock in unincorporated SLO County is regulated by the Land Use Ordinance (Title 22, inland) and Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance (Title 23, coastal), with density, setback, and minimum-parcel-size rules that vary by zoning category.
Chickens & Livestock Governed by Title 22 / Title 23 Zoning
Some RestrictionsSLO County Planning & Building, Animal Keeping guidance implementing Title 22 §§ 22.30.060, 22.30.090, 22.30.100 and Title 23 §§ 23.08.041, 23.08.046, 23.08.052
The raising or keeping of animals as either an incidental or principal use shall comply with the requirements of the Inland Ordinance [Title 22] or Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance [Title 23]... Certain specialized structures and facilities for animals (including animal hospitals, kennels, feed lots, fowl, poultry, hog or horse ranches, horse boarding, horseback riding lessons) may be subject to...
Dog Leash Laws
Dogs in unincorporated San Luis Obispo County must be leashed or heeling under direct control on any public roadway, walkway or park, per County Code Section 9.03.005. Off-property trespass without the owner's consent is a separate violation.
SLO County Dog Leash Law
Some RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code § 9.03.005
9.03.005 - Leash law.(a)No person shall permit any dog owned, harbored, or controlled by him to be in or upon any public roadway, walkway, park or other public area unless securely restrained by a leash and under the direct control of a person competent to exercise full care, custody, and charge over such dog, or unless the dog is at a "heel" beside a person and obedient to that person's comman...
Breed Restrictions
No San Luis Obispo County-specific ordinance directly imposes breed-based bans or ownership restrictions; California state default applies. Under CA Food & Agricultural Code § 31683, local programs to control potentially dangerous or vicious dogs cannot be specific as to breed, except for spay/neuter and breeding regulations.
No Breed-Specific Bans; State Law Preempts (CA F&A § 31683)
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Food & Agricultural Code § 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...
Beekeeping
San Luis Obispo County regulates apiaries under Code Chapter 5.04. Bees kept away from where the owner lives must carry an identification sign, hives must sit at least 200 feet from any public road except while pollinating crops, and no apiary may sit close enough to a dwelling or road to become a public nuisance or hazard.
San Luis Obispo County Apiary Setback Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code § 5.04.060
(b) Identification Sign. Every person owning, operating or controlling an apiary located on premises other than where such person resides shall identify such apiary as is now provided or hereafter may be provided by the laws of the state. (c) Distance from Roads and Property Lines. No person shall place or keep an apiary, or cause or allow an apiary to remain, so close to a property boundary or...
Exotic Pets
San Luis Obispo County bans owning or keeping any wild-by-nature animal that could endanger people or property, naming wolf and coyote hybrids, big cats, bears, primates, venomous snakes and crocodilians, under County Code Section 9.02.009.
SLO County Wild Animal Possession Ban
Heavy RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code § 9.02.009
9.02.009 - Possession of unsafe and wild animals prohibited. It is unlawful for any person to own, keep, maintain, or possess any animal which is wild by nature and which, because of its size, disposition, or other characteristics could constitute a danger to human life or property.(a)Such animals shall include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:(1)Mammals:a.Any canine other tha...
Wildlife Feeding
San Luis Obispo County Code Sec. 9.02.002 bars anyone from placing food, water, or shelter to attract an animal in any public park, plaza, woodland, other public place, or on another person's private property without that owner's express consent, an infraction enforced countywide by the Division of Animal Services.
San Luis Obispo County Wildlife Feeding Ban
Significant RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code Sec. 9.02.002
9.02.002 - Unauthorized feeding or attraction of animals prohibited. It is unlawful for any person to place, deposit, or maintain food, water, shelter, or other similar attractant for an animal in any public park, plaza, woodland, other public place, or upon the private property of another person without the express consent and authorization of the property owner or tenant. 9.01.012 - Violatio...
Pet Limits
San Luis Obispo County Animal Services administers a soft household limit of three dogs and three cats per residence; owners wishing to keep more must apply annually for a Multiple Animal Permit (up to six animals at one residence).
Three-Dog / Three-Cat Soft Limit; Multiple Animal Permit Required Above
Some RestrictionsSLO County Animal Services - Multiple Animal Permits guidance (implementing Title 9 of County Code)
There is no hard, fast rule for the maximum number of animals which can be at any single property; this is generally no more than three (3) dogs and three (3) cats for each residential home... Individuals may seek an exemption to this limitation by requesting a Multiple Animal Permit from Animal Services... Permits must be renewed annually and expire on 12/31 of the current year.
Cat Rules
San Luis Obispo County caps most properties at three cats, bans letting an unaltered cat roam at large under Code Sec. 9.03.004, and requires rabies vaccination for any cat allowed outdoors under Sec. 9.08.002. Cats carry no county license, unlike dogs, and the code has no feral-colony program.
San Luis Obispo County Cat At-Large Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code Secs. 9.03.002, 9.03.004, 9.08.002
9.03.002 - Animal keeping limitations-Dogs and cats. (a)Except as provided by Section 9.03.003, no person may keep, harbor, or maintain more than three dogs, nor more than three cats, over the age of four months on any single lot, premises, dwelling, or living accommodation located within the county...(b)This section shall not apply to any duly permitted commercial animal operation. 9.03.004 -...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
San Luis Obispo County requires dogs and cats leaving the county shelter to be spayed or neutered before adoption, with a refundable deposit if a vet certifies the animal is too sick for surgery.
SLO County Shelter Adoption Alteration Rule
Significant RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code § 9.04.009(b)
No dog or cat shall be adopted, given, or otherwise transferred to any person, organization, or business, other than a non-profit humane organization, unless it has been previously spayed or neutered, or unless a veterinarian licensed to practice in the state of California certifies that it is too sick to undergo such a procedure, in which case the adopter shall pay to the division a deposit of...
Microchipping
Every dog and cat over four months old in unincorporated San Luis Obispo County must carry an identifying microchip under County Code Section 9.03.001, with narrow health and age-based exemptions and mandatory microchipping before an impounded pet can be redeemed or adopted.
SLO County Mandatory Pet Microchipping
Some RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code § 9.03.001
9.03.001 - Microchipping required.(a)All dogs and cats over the age of four months must be implanted with an identifying microchip.(b)This provision shall not apply to:(1)Dogs or cats for which a veterinarian licensed to practice within the state of California has issued a certificate indicating that such procedure would pose a serious risk to the health or life of the animal. Such certificate ...
Coyote Management
San Luis Obispo County outright bans owning or keeping a coyote as a wild, dangerous animal under Code Sec. 9.02.009, bars feeding wildlife in county parks without the director's advance authorization under Sec. 11.04.060(g), and requires anyone bitten by a coyote to report it within 24 hours.
San Luis Obispo County Coyote Possession Ban
Heavy RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code Sec. 9.02.009
9.02.009 - Possession of unsafe and wild animals prohibited. It is unlawful for any person to own, keep, maintain, or possess any animal which is wild by nature and which, because of its size, disposition, or other characteristics could constitute a danger to human life or property.(a)Such animals shall include...(1)Mammals:a.Any canine other than a member of the species Canis familaris (domest...
Pet Store Rules
San Luis Obispo County does not ban retail pet sales outright: Code Sec. 9.06.001 requires any pet shop, kennel, stable, or breeding operation to hold a commercial animal operation permit from the Division of Animal Services before selling any animal, on top of a standard county business license.
San Luis Obispo County Pet Shop Permit Rule
Some RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code Sec. 9.06.001(a)
9.06.001 - Commercial animal operation-Permit required.(a)No person shall conduct any commercial breeding, kennel, stable, pet shop or other commercial animal operation as defined in this title without first obtaining the appropriate permit from the division.(b)Issuance of a permit to operate under this section does not supersede, negate, or otherwise eliminate the requirement of an animal owne...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
San Luis Obispo County Code Sec. 22.30.100(B) sets a 6,000 square foot minimum site in Office, Commercial, Industrial and Public Facilities categories, or one acre elsewhere, for animal hospitals and veterinary facilities. Animal enclosures need 100-foot setbacks from neighboring dwellings in Agriculture, Rural Lands or Recreation areas.
SLO County Veterinary Facility Site Standards
Some RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code § 22.30.100(B)
B.Animal hospitals and veterinary medical facilities.1.Minimum site area. 6,000 square feet in the Office, Commercial, Industrial and Public Facilities categories; one acre in other allowed categories.2.Site requirements.a.Setbacks. When located in the Agriculture, Rural Lands and Recreation categories, enclosures for the keeping of animals shall be located 100 feet from any dwelling other than...
Bird Protection
In every San Luis Obispo County park except Lake Nacimiento, Code Sec. 11.04.060(f) bars anyone from molesting, hunting, disturbing, trapping, poisoning, or killing any bird or its eggs and nests without a California Department of Fish and Game depredation permit approved by the parks director.
San Luis Obispo County Park Bird Protection
Significant RestrictionsSan Luis Obispo County Code Sec. 11.04.060(f)
11.04.060 - Resource protection.(f)Animals-Injuring or Killing. No person, with the exception of depredation permits approved by the director or designee and issued by the California Department of Fish and Game, shall or attempt to molest, hunt, disturb, injure, trap, take, net, poison, harm, tease or kill any kind of wild or domestic animal, bird, or reptile, or their eggs or nests, or fish, e...
All San Luis Obispo County ordinances
See every category we cover for San Luis Obispo County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
San Luis Obispo County Ordinance Hub →