Cupertino Municipal Code Ch. 8.06 Dangerous Animals

A. No person shall keep, have, maintain, sell, trade, or let for hire a dangerous and/or vicious animal without first obtaining a permit from the City Manager. The application for a permit, permit conditions, inspection, denial, revocation, and appeal shall be in accord with the provisions of this chapter.

B. No permit shall be required of any zoo, university, college, governmental research agency or other bona fide scientific institutions, as determined by the City Manager, engaging in scientific or public health research. For the purposes of this title, a zoo shall be considered any organization that exhibits animals to the general public at regular specified hours, equaling at least thirty hours a week for thirty-six weeks a year, and whose animals, whether maintained for exhibit purposes or not, are not for sale to private individuals.

C. The owner of a vicious and/or dangerous animal shall post at the entrances to the property where the animal is kept with a legible sign at least twelve inches square, warning persons of a vicious and/or dangerous animal.

(Ord. 1644, § 2 (part), 1994)

A. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the City Manager may deny or revoke a permit to keep or maintain any dangerous animal when, in his or her opinion:

1. Any such animal may not be kept or maintained without endangering the. safety of any person(s) or property; or

2. The keeping of the animal would constitute a public nuisance; or

3. The animal would be subject to suffering, neglect, cruelty or abuse.

B. The City Manager in his or her discretion may require any such animal to be properly caged, tethered, or restrained in zoo-type facilities that meet or are in addition to, or more restrictive than, State guidelines issued under the provisions of Section 671 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations and federal standards issued under Chapter 1 of Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

C. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to permit the keeping of dangerous animals where zoning provisions or State law would prohibit such keeping.

(Ord. 1644, § 2 (part), 1994)

The fee for a permit to keep or maintain one or more dangerous animals shall be for a twelve-month term, and shall be set by resolution of the City Council. The permit shall expire and be renewable as set forth in Section 8.05.040.

(Ord. 21-2234, Att. A (§ 7), 2021; Ord. 1644, § 2 (part), 1994)

Except where otherwise specified, any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished as provided in Chapter 1.12. (Ord. 1886, (part), 2001)