Sacramento Municipal Code Art. III Animal Care Services Regulations Generally

No owner of any animal, wild or domestic, except the domestic cat, shall permit or suffer such animal to do any of the following things:

A. Be at large. The definition of "at large" is set forth in Section 9.44.020 of this chapter.

B. Trespass unlawfully on public property closed to the public at large, or upon any private property without consent of the owner of the property.

C. Habitually make loud noise or act in such other manner as to constitute a public nuisance.

D. Defecate upon public property, or upon the private property of another, unless the owner immediately removes the feces and properly disposes of the feces by placing it in a closed or sealed container and depositing it in a trash receptacle. This subsection shall not apply to guide dogs, service dogs or signal dogs as defined in Section 54.1 of the California Civil Code. This subsection does not authorize any person to enter upon the private property of another without permission. (Prior code § 6.04.040)

Any dog, bovine animal, horse, mule, burro, sheep, hog, goat, poultry, swine or wild animal found to be at large in this city is a public nuisance and shall be taken up and impounded by the animal care services officer. (Ord. 2010-021 § 12; prior code § 6.04.041)

No owner of a domestic cat shall permit or suffer the cat to damage property, public or private, real or personal, or to bite, scratch or claw any human being or other animal which is the property of another. Any domestic cat which has damaged property or has bitten, scratched, or clawed a human being or animal shall be subject to impoundment. (Prior code § 6.04.042)

It is unlawful for the owner of any animal to knowingly permit or allow such animal to go without proper food, water, care, shelter, or medical or veterinary attention. (Prior code § 6.04.043)

All quarters or areas in which animals are kept or maintained shall be kept in a reasonably clean and sanitary manner. It is unlawful for the owner of any animal or person having control of any animal to permit the carcass, the manure, soiled droppings, the urine-soaked straw, or other waste materials of such animal to accumulate in any portion of a lot, building, structure, pen or enclosure located nearer than seventy-five (75) feet to any building or structure on adjacent property used as a dwelling or for commercial purposes not related to agriculture. (Prior code § 6.04.044)

The owner of any bitch who is in season shall confine such animal during such season and shall not, in any instance, allow such animal to run at large. (Prior code § 6.04.046)

A. No person other than an individual transporting working dogs within agricultural/rural areas of the city, shall transport or carry on any public highway or public roadway, any animal, wild or domestic, in a motor vehicle unless the animal is safely enclosed within the vehicle or protected within a secured container carried upon such vehicle or securely cross tethered, or secured to such vehicle by rope, chain or other device in such a fashion as to prevent injury to the animal, and as to prevent the animal from falling from, being thrown from, or jumping from said motor vehicle.

B. No person shall leave an animal, wild or domestic, in any unattended motor vehicle without adequate ventilation, sanitary conditions, or otherwise under such circumstances as to prevent the animal from being subjected to extreme temperatures which adversely affect its health or safety.

C. As used in this section, the term "motor vehicle" includes, without limitation, automobiles, pickup trucks, other trucks and trailers. (Prior code § 6.04.047)

A. No live animal, including without limitation domestic animals, wild animals, birds and fowl, shall be kept or allowed in any building owned or operated by the city.

B. Subsection A of this section shall not prohibit the presence in a building owned or operated by the city of a guide dog, signal dog, or service dog, as defined by Section 54.1 of the Civil Code, accompanied by a totally or partially blind person, deaf person, person whose hearing is impaired, or handicapped person, or dogs accompanied by persons licensed to train guide dogs for the blind pursuant to Chapter 9.5 (commencing with Section 7200) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code.

C. Subsection A of this section shall not apply to dogs under the control of uniformed law enforcement officers.

D. Subsection A of this section shall not apply to the city animal care services center.

E. Subsection A of this section shall not apply to animals within a building under the supervision of the department of parks and community services in connection with an activity conducted or sponsored by the city or when their presence is specifically authorized by a building use permit issued pursuant to Chapter 12.72 of this code.

F. Subsection A of this section shall not apply to animals within a building owned or operated by the city in connection with an animal show or similar activity authorized in writing by the head of the department responsible for managing activities in the building. (Ord. 2010-021 § 12; prior code § 6.04.048)

A. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to protect the public health and safety by prohibiting the use of steel-jawed leg-hold traps which pose great potential for injury to domestic pets and children.

B. Findings. The city council finds as follows:

1. In an urbanized area, steel-jawed leg-hold traps present a risk of injury or death to domestic pets and persons, especially small children.

2. Steel-jawed leg-hold traps are inhumane. Studies cited by Humane Society of the United States show that up to 59.8 percent of animals caught in steel-jawed leg-hold traps sustain visible injuries caused by the type of trap employed.

3. Steel-jawed leg-hold traps do not discriminate between the target animal and nontarget animals. According to the Humane Society of the United States, by design of the trap, a trapper can never be sure of finding the desired animal caught in the steel jaws of the trap.

4. Alternatives to steel-jawed leg-hold traps are available for those circumstances in which the need to trap an intruding animal is great.

5. A prohibition on the use of steel-jawed leg-hold traps within the city is necessary to protect the public health and safety of the city's human and pet population.

C. Definition. For purposes of this section, "steel-jawed leg-hold trap" means any spring-powered device or trap which captures or holds an animal by exerting a lateral force with fix-mounted jaws on the leg, toe, paw, or any other part of the animal's body.

D. Use Prohibited. It is unlawful and a misdemeanor for any person to use, set, place, maintain or tend, or cause to be used, set, placed, maintained or tended, any steel-jawed leg-hold trap. (Prior code § 6.04.049)

It is unlawful to keep within the city any live swine which is more than twenty-two (22) inches high at the shoulder or weighs more than one hundred fifty (150) pounds, or any live male swine over the age of four weeks which has not been neutered. The provisions of Sections 9.44.340 and 9.44.360 of this chapter shall not apply to any live swine permitted by this section. (Prior code § 6.05.050)

It is unlawful to permanently keep, have or ranch more than two beehives on a single parcel of property within the city, unless such parcel of property is zoned "A" or "A-OS" by applicable provisions of the Planning and Development Code, or unless such keeping, harboring, or maintaining of hives would constitute a valid nonconforming use under the applicable provisions of the Planning and Development Code; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be deemed to authorize anyone to keep, harbor or maintain any such hives in violation of any other applicable law. (Ord. 2015-0005 § 1; Ord. 2013-0021 § 27; prior code § 6.05.051)

A. Except as provided in subsection B of this section, and in Section 9.44.350 of this chapter, it is unlawful to keep, harbor, or maintain any bovine animal, horse, mule, burro, sheep, goat, duck, turkey, goose or other domestic live-stock or poultry on any parcel of property located in the city.

B. Subsection A of this section shall not apply:

1. To any parcel of property zoned for "A" or "A-OS" by applicable provisions of the Planning and Development Code or to any property zoned rural estates and located within the area bounded by Sotnip Road on the south, Sorento Road on the west, and East Levee Road on the north and east (and generally known as Valley View Acres), or to any property zoned M-1(S)R-AOL and located with the area fronting on Ascot Avenue and bounded by Dry Creek Road on the west and Raley Boulevard on the east (and generally known as the Ascot Avenue overlay zone).

2. Where such keeping, harboring, or maintaining of such animals would constitute a valid nonconforming use under the applicable provisions of the Planning and Development Code of the city.

3. To the keeping, harboring, or maintaining of no more than a total of ten (10) such animals, each weighing no more than two hundred fifty (250) pounds, if the parcel on which they are kept is owned by a charitable organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is ten (10) acres or larger in size, if the animals are confined to an enclosure which complies with Section 9.44.360 of this chapter except when adequately tethered elsewhere on the property, and if the animals are an integral part of a therapeutic program offered by the organization and supervised by a California licensed physician and surgeon, psychologist, clinical social worker, or marriage, family and child counselor.

C. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to authorize anyone to keep, harbor or maintain any such animal in violation of any other applicable law.

D. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to supersede Section 9.44.320 of this chapter. (Ord. 2015-0005 § 2; Ord. 2013-0021 § 28; Ord. 2011-039 § 1; prior code § 6.05.052)

A. The animal care services manager shall approve the keeping of no more than one animal classified as livestock (excluding roosters), weighing no more than sixty (60) pounds, upon making the following findings:

1. That the keeping of the animal will be of substantial therapeutic value to its owner or a member of the owner's household, based upon a certification from a California licensed physician and surgeon, psychologist, clinical social worker, or marriage, family, and child counselor, or other satisfactory evidence;

2. That the keeping of the animal will not create a nuisance;

3. That the keeping of the animal will not be detrimental to the animal's welfare.

The animal care services manager may impose such conditions on the keeping of the animal as he or she deems necessary to prevent the creation of a nuisance.

B. The animal care services manager may revoke any approval granted hereunder if he or she determines that the keeping of the animal has resulted in a nuisance, or is contrary to the public health, safety or welfare.

C. Any person aggrieved by the animal care services manager's grant or denial of approval to keep an animal, or by the animal care services manager's revocation of an approval, may appeal such decision to a review committee consisting of:

1. The city manager or the manager's designee;

2. The director of public works, or the director's designee; and

3. A veterinarian designated by the city manager, by filing a notice of appeal with the city manager within ten (10) days after the animal care services manager makes his or her written determination. The review committee shall hold an informal hearing at which interested parties may present testimony and evidence concerning the matter. The decision of the review committee shall be final; provided, however, that the city council may, by motion, assume jurisdiction of the appeal and make a final determination which shall substitute for or supersede the review committee's decision. (Ord. 2010-021 § 12; prior code § 6.05.052-1)

It is unlawful to locate, or cause to be located, or to maintain any part of any lot, building, structure, pen or enclosure used for keeping of any animal mentioned in Section 9.44.340 nearer than seventy-five (75) feet to any building or structure on adjacent property used for dwelling purposes, food preparation, food service, school, hotel or as a place of public assembly. (Prior code § 6.05.053)

A. Swine. No person or group of persons shall keep, harbor, or maintain more than three swine permitted by section 9.44.320 in or about any dwelling unit, or adjacent yard.

B. Dogs.

1. Except as provided in subsection B.2, no person or group of persons shall keep, harbor, or maintain more than three dogs over the age of four months in or about any dwelling unit or adjacent yard.

2. A person or group of persons may keep, harbor, or maintain in or about any dwelling unit or adjacent yard, a maximum of four dogs over the age of four months if each of the dogs (i) has been spayed or neutered, or (ii) is certified in writing by a licensed veterinarian as not being a suitable subject for sterilizing due to health or age reasons.

C. Cats. No person or group of persons shall keep, harbor, or maintain more than seven cats over the age of eight weeks in or about any dwelling unit or adjacent yard.

D. For the purposes of this section the term "dwelling unit" has the same meaning as in the Planning and Development Code. (Ord. 2026-0013 § 1; Ord. 2013-0021 § 29; prior code § 6.05.054)

A. No persons shall own any wild animal without first applying to and receiving from the animal care services manager a permit to do so. The permit requirements of this article are not applicable to the following:

B. Owners who use wild animals for diagnostic purposes or research, the use having been approved by the California State Board of Public Health pursuant to Section 1666 of the Health and Safety Code; owners who use wild animals for teaching purposes in recognized educational institutions; owners of establishments which treat or board animals and which are owned or operated by veterinarians licensed by the state of California; owners of game farms or game breeding establishments licensed by the state of California; owners of nonprofit zoological gardens open to the public; owners of pet shops who maintain wild animals solely at their place of business; and owners of circuses which are being presented on or in property owned by a governmental entity. (Ord. 2010-021 § 12; prior code § 6.08.090)

A. The application for a permit shall contain the name of the applicant, his or her address, the address of the proposed location of the animal, if different from the applicant's, and a brief description of the applicant's plan for keeping the animal which shall include the specie or species of animal, the number of individuals of each specie and a description of the housing facilities for the animal.

B. The initial fee for the issuance of each permit shall be established by resolution of the city council and shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of its issuance unless revoked or suspended. Such fee shall cover either one animal or a collection, and the maximum number of specimens permitted to be kept shall be specified in the permit. Whenever a new animal or collection is added so as to exceed the maximum number permitted, a new permit must be secured and a new fee must be paid subject to the exceptions in Section 9.44.400 of this chapter. The fee shall be due and payable at the time of issuance of the permit and shall be a prerequisite of such issuance. Whenever, in any given permit year, there are new animals in a collection due to the reproduction of members of the collection or due to trade, exchange or replacement in the same number and of the same zoological order as the members of the collection traded, exchanged or replaced, such new animals shall not require an additional permit during that year, provided the animal care services manager is notified in writing of such new animals within thirty (30) days of acquisition. (Ord. 2010-021 § 12; prior code § 6.08.091)

Each succeeding year, a renewal permit shall be obtained by a holder of a permit to keep wild animals. A fee for the issuance of a renewal permit shall be established by resolution of the city council, and it shall be due and payable each year on the anniversary of the date of the issuance of the initial permit. If during the preceding year or years, more than one initial permit has been issued an applicant, the former permits may be consolidated so that only one renewal permit is required; provided, however, that the renewal date for the consolidated permit shall be the date of the issuance of the earliest initial permit. A renewal fee for a wild animal permit shall become delinquent ninety (90) days after it becomes due and payable, and upon delinquency, an additional delinquent fee established by resolution of the city council shall be added to the regular fee. An unpaid delinquent fee shall be added to a succeeding year's renewal. (Prior code § 6.08.092)

Upon receipt of an application for an initial permit by the animal care services manager, the application shall be forwarded to the building inspections division of the city, the superintendent of the city zoo, and the public health department of the county and designated employees of these departments shall ascertain whether or not the applicant's plan is in conformity with all laws governing their respective departments.

If the applicant's plan is in conformity with the law governing such departments, departmental approval shall be indicated on the face of the application. If the applicant's plan is not in conformity with the law governing the departments, the face of the application shall be marked "Not Approved" and the reason for nonapproval noted thereon, along with any revisions or changes in the applicant's plan which if made would result in approval by the department in question.

Upon approval by the departments of an application for an initial permit or upon the receipt of an application for a renewal permit, the animal care services manager shall make any investigation he or she deems proper. He or she shall approve an application if he or she finds all of the following:

A. The keeping of the wild animal at the location specified in the application will not violate any law or ordinance of the city or any law of the state;

B. The keeping and maintenance of the wild animal will not endanger the peace, health, or safety of persons in the immediate vicinity, or in the city as a whole;

C. The premises and housing where the wild animal is to be kept are in a clean and sanitary condition, and any wild animal will not be subject to suffering, cruelty or abuse;

D. The applicant has not had a permit provided for herein revoked within a year prior to the date of application;

E. The keeping and maintenance of the wild animal does not constitute a public nuisance. (Ord. 2010-021 § 12; prior code § 6.08.093)

Any permit issued pursuant to this article may be revoked or suspended as herein provided if, after investigation, the animal care services manager finds any of the following to be true:

A. The owner, his or her agent or employee has been convicted of any offense involving the violation of Section 597 of the Penal Code of the state of California, or any provisions of this article, or is in violation of the zoning, health, and safety or building ordinances relating to the keeping of wild animals; or

B. The owner has failed to keep and maintain the premises or housing for the wild animals in a clean and sanitary condition; or

C. The owner has, at the place for which the permit is issued, failed to provide any wild animal with proper food, water, shelter or attention; or

D. The owner has violated any rules, regulations or conditions adopted by the animal care services manager as necessary to insure that the wild animal will not endanger the safety of any person or property. (Ord. 2010-021 § 12; prior code § 6.08.094)