§ 31646 Vicious Dog Ownership Ban

Food and Agricultural Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

Key Takeaways

•If your dog is considered dangerous, the city or county can stop you from owning any dog for up to 3 years.
•This happens only if officials decide that having a dog with you would put people's safety at risk.
•There will be a process (like a hearing) before they make this decision.

Example

Your dog bites a neighbor badly, and after a hearing, the city says your dog is dangerous.

The city can tell you that you can't own any dog for up to 3 years because they think it's not safe for others.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 31646 Vicious Dog Ownership Ban

The owner of a dog determined to be a vicious dog may be prohibited by the city or county from owning, possessing, controlling, or having custody of any dog for a period of up to three years, when it is found, after proceedings conducted under Article 2 (commencing with Section 31621), that ownership or possession of a dog by that person would create a significant threat to the public health, safety, and welfare. (Added by Stats. 1989, Ch. 761, Sec. 1.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

vicious dog significant threat to the public health, safety, and welfare

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 31646.

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Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

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