Santa Paula Breed Restrictions Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

California Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683 prohibits any city, county, or other local governmental body from enacting or enforcing an ordinance, rule, or regulation that declares a dog to be dangerous or vicious based solely on the dog's breed or perceived breed. This statewide preemption means that Santa Paula cannot maintain a pit-bull ban, a Rottweiler registry, a mandatory-spay-neuter program targeting specific breeds, or any other regulation that singles out a breed by name. The law was enacted to shift animal control policy toward evidence-based, behavior-focused approaches rather than breed profiling.

In practice, dog owners in Santa Paula are subject to the same rules regardless of what breed they own. All dogs over the age of four months must be licensed with Ventura County Animal Services and must have a current rabies vaccination. Dogs must be kept on a leash when off the owner's property unless in a designated off-leash area. Dogs that have bitten or attacked a person or another animal may be declared potentially dangerous or vicious by Ventura County Animal Services following an investigation and administrative hearing — but this determination is based on the individual animal's conduct, not its breed.

Prospective dog owners should note that although Santa Paula and California law impose no breed restrictions, private parties may have their own requirements. Many homeowner's insurance policies and rental agreements contain breed-exclusion clauses that restrict certain breeds as a contractual matter. These private restrictions are separate from and unaffected by state preemption; tenants and homeowners should review their insurance and lease terms independently. For questions about animal licensing, bite reports, or dangerous-dog proceedings, contact Ventura County Animal Services.