Animal Ordinances in Tulare County, CA (2026)
8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Tulare County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Tulare County's animal control code (Chapter 4-7) treats fowl and common farm animals as livestock and domestic animals rather than banning them. The main duty is containment: under Section 4-07-5100, owners must keep livestock from straying off their property. Zoning rules also apply by district.
Tulare County Chickens and Backyard Livestock
Light RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code § 4-07-5100
The Owner or Custodian of any Livestock or Equine that are found at large on any public or private property other than the Owners, without permission of the property Owner shall be guilty of an infraction. In addition to other penalties imposed, the Owner or Custodian ... is liable for the salaries, costs, and other expenses incurred by Animal Services in restraining, capturing, or rescuing suc...
Dog Leash Laws
In unincorporated Tulare County, a dog cannot leave its owner's property unless it is on a leash or lead no longer than eight feet. Ordinance Code § 4-07-5000 bans off-property roaming outside narrow carve-outs for law enforcement, training classes, livestock herding, lawful hunting and designated leash-free parks. Animal Services impounds loose dogs and issues administrative citations.
Tulare County Dog Leash & At-Large Law
Some RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code § 4-07-5000
No person shall permit a Dog to stray from private property owned or legally possessed by the Dog Owner or Custodian unless the Dog is restrained by a leash or lead not exceeding eight feet in length, except in the following situations: A. When the Dog is assisting a peace Officer who is engaged in law enforcement duties or when the Dog is participating in a search and rescue effort at the spec...
Breed Restrictions
Tulare County's animal code does not ban or single out any dog breed. Instead, Section 4-07-6000 regulates dogs by behavior, classifying animals as "Potentially Dangerous" or "Vicious" based on conduct. There is no breed-specific legislation for unincorporated Tulare County.
Tulare County Dog Breed Restrictions
Some RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code § 4-07-6000
'Potentially Dangerous Animal' means any animal which behaves in such a manner that the owner or custodian thereof knows or should know that the animal poses a threat to public safety; any animal which because of its size, training, behavior, physical nature, or vicious propensity would threaten public safety were it not controlled as prescribed in this chapter ...
Beekeeping
Tulare County requires every beehive kept away from the owner's own residence to carry a posted ID sign, and sets minimum setbacks of 200 feet from occupied homes or businesses, a quarter mile from any school or park, and 20 feet from a state highway or county road, under Ordinance Code § 6-05-2020 and § 6-05-2040.
Tulare County Apiary Setback and Sign Rules
Some RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code § 6-05-2040
In order to prevent bees from being a hazard or nuisance to persons, no person shall place or maintain an apiary less than the following prescribed distances from the objects specified: (a) Twenty (20) feet from the right-of-way of a State highway or County road. (b) One quarter (1/4) mile from the outside boundary of any school or park. (c) Two hundred (200) feet from any occupied residence or...
Pet Limits
Under Tulare County Ordinance Code Section 4-07-4005, the maximum number of adult dogs allowed on any lot without a kennel permit is four. Keeping five to twenty-five adult dogs requires a kennel permit. The code sets no specific numeric limit on cats.
Tulare County Pet Limits
Some RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code § 4-07-4005
The maximum number of Adult Dogs allowed on any Lot or Premises for any length of time without a kennel permit is four (4). ... The maximum number of adult dogs allowed under a Commercial or non-Commercial, Kennel Permit shall be based on ... the Special Use Permit issued by the County's Resource Management Agency and the minimum kennel standards requirements ..., but in no case shall be more t...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Dogs in unincorporated Tulare County must be spayed or neutered by six months old under Ordinance Code § 4-07-3225, with exceptions for police dogs, dogs with a veterinarian's letter, and dogs covered by an Unaltered License. Owners with intact dogs when the rule took effect had six months to comply.
Tulare County Mandatory Dog Spay/Neuter Rule
Some RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code § 4-07-3225
A. All Dogs shall be spayed or neutered by the age of six (6) months, with the following exceptions: 1. Dogs used by police agencies; 2. Dogs that have a letter from a licensed Veterinarian stating spaying or neutering the Dog would be detrimental to the health of the Dog; 3. Licensed Unaltered Dogs. B. Owners who have intact Dogs prior to the enacting of this Ordinance have six months to compl...
Microchipping
Every dog in unincorporated Tulare County must carry an implanted microchip under Ordinance Code § 4-07-3220, and owners must register the chip number with Animal Services and the manufacturer's registry. Any dog impounded at the county shelter is chipped before adoption or owner redemption, at the owner's expense.
Tulare County Dog Microchipping Requirement
Some RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code § 4-07-3220
A. All dogs shall be implanted with an identifying microchip. The Owner shall provide the microchip number to Animal Services at the time of implantation or licensing and shall register the microchip with the manufacturer of the microchip and/or designated registry. Any change of ownership of the Dog or any change in the Owner's contact information shall be noticed to the manufacturer and/or de...
Bird Protection
Tulare County bans hunting, killing, wounding, frightening, capturing, injuring or otherwise molesting any bird or animal inside a County Park or Recreation Area under Ordinance Code § 2-05-1220. The rule carries two exceptions: self-defense against an animal that threatens personal injury, and hunting within areas the county has specifically designated for that purpose.
Tulare County Park Bird and Animal Protection Rule
Some RestrictionsTulare County Ordinance Code § 2-05-1220
It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, kill, wound, frighten, capture, injure, tease or otherwise molest any bird or animal within a County Park or Recreation Area, except when necessary to prevent a bird or animal from inflicting personal injury on human beings; provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall not prohibit persons from hunting in designated hunting areas.
Animal Ordinances by City in Tulare County
1 cities in Tulare County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Tulare County ordinances
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