Los Gatos Municipal Code Art. VII Dangerous and Exotic Animals

(a) No person shall keep, have, maintain, sell, trade, or let for hire a dangerous and/or exotic animal without first obtaining a permit from the Town Manager. The application for a permit, permit conditions, inspection, denial, revocation, and appeal shall be the same as set forth in sections 4.60.005, 4.60.015, and 4.60.025 through 4.60.045, inclusive, of this chapter.

(b) No permit shall be required of any zoo, university, college, governmental research agency, or other bona fide scientific institution, as determined by the Town Manager, engaging in scientific or public health research. For the purposes of this article, a zoo shall be considered any organization that exhibits animals to the general public at regular specified hours, equaling at least thirty (30) hours a week for thirty-six (36) 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 dangerous and/or exotic animal shall post at the entrances to the property where the animal is kept with a legible sign at least twelve (12) inches square, warning persons of a dangerous and/or exotic animal.

(Ord. No. 1971, § II, 2-22-94; Ord. No. 2276, § 1, 9-18-18)

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Town Manager may deny or revoke a permit to keep or maintain any dangerous or exotic animal when, in the Town Manager's 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.

The Town Manager in their 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. Nothing in this article shall be construed to permit the keeping of dangerous animals where zoning provisions or state law would prohibit such keeping.

(Ord. No. 1971, § II, 2-22-94; Ord. No. 2276, § 1, 9-18-18; Ord. No. 2320, § III, 9-7-21)

The fee for a permit to keep or maintain one (1) dangerous animal for a twelve-month term, and the fee for each additional dangerous animal shall be set by Town Council Resolution. The permit shall expire and be renewable as set forth in section 4.40.045.

(Ord. No. 1971, § II, 2-22-94; Ord. No. 2276, § 1, 9-18-18)