PRACTICAL PET OWNERSHIP: NAVIGATING LAWS AND REGULATIONS IN L.A. COUNTY

By guest writer, Grace OKAFOR

Hello! My name is Grace Okafor and I am a current Junior studying Law, History, and Culture and Political Science at the University of Southern California. Apart from my academic interests, I enjoy writing and analysis and was ecstatic to work with PAWS/LA in researching pet ownership laws in Los Angeles. I am currently taking a course at USC that explores the Human-Animal Connection, and was truly excited to be able to incorporate some of my gained knowledge into the following research and writing for this organization. ​

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Introduction

​Owning a pet is undoubtedly one of life’s great joys. From playing catch with your dog to cuddling up to your favorite furry feline to even teaching your pet the latest cool tricks you saw online—the human and animal bond is truly a wonderful gift. But, with all the joys a pet brings comes a notable level of responsibility, especially considering the presence of pet-specific legislation that pet owners must abide by. Like many other municipalities nationwide, Los Angeles has city-specific laws that might differ from other locales. In this article, we look at a couple of pet ownership regulations that are important to bear in mind while living with your pet in the Los Angeles area.

Image from CDC website

#1: Pet Licensing

​Many "big-ticket" assets, such as cars, houses, or boats, typically require a specific license to own and operate. Failure to register these objects with local, state or even Federal government agencies can have serious financial and/or legal ramifications, ranging from fines to incarceration (albeit only in the most severe cases). In most jurisdictions, certain animals, including many domestic pets, fall into this category. In Los Angeles, for example, the owners of Dogs and Cats older than 4 months must obtain a proper license and register with the city. To qualify, dog and cat owners must display proof of their pet’s received rabies vaccinations and might receive a reduced license fee if their pet has been spayed or neutered. Here’s the complete list of fees which vary depending on your specific area.

Photography by Andriyko Podilnyk from Unsplash.com

#2: Leashes

If you decide to leave your home with your dog, one of the first things you probably grab is a leash. In Los Angeles, leashes are especially important because dogs are prohibited from freely roaming in most public areas and private property. The exceptions to this rule are dog parks that allow off-leash activity, your private property, or on private property with specific permission from its owner. The leash cannot exceed 6 feet of length and the dog must be in the control of the person holding it. This law is important to keep you, your dog, and other dogs safe! It also protects from liability lawsuits, should your animal become agitated and attack another human or their pet.

#3: Picking up After Your Dog

Most of us know that picking up the “presents” our dogs leave behind is common courtesy in a shared community, but it is also a provision of local law! Leaving behind animal defecation on public or private property is illegal and once a pet drops a gift, the owner is required to pick it up and dispose of it properly! When walking our dogs in public, make sure to carry some dog waste bags to make the process easier. Not only does this practice align with LA law, but it also keeps our public environment a bit neater and cleaner! Exceptions to this rule include when walking on your own property or when the dog is an officially registered guide for someone visually impaired.

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#4: Animals and Restaurants

In Los Angeles, we truly love our pets, but we also love eating out in restaurants. Are we allowed to bring dogs to our favorite dining spots? Los Angeles Law states that this is at the discretion of the restaurant owners. If the presence of pets is permitted, they are allowed only in restaurants with designated, unenclosed outdoor dining areas. In addition, there are a couple of additional requirements that must be met to ensure pet and civilian safety and comfort. Some of these include:
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1. A separate, direct entrance into the outdoor dining area to limit pet presence in the indoor dining area.
2. No outdoor food preparation in outdoor pet-friendly areas.
3. A ban on pets resting on chairs, seats, tables, and other similar furniture items.

Here is the full list of requirements and additional FAQ’s regarding LA’s policy of pets in restaurants. This rule is exempt for service animals, dogs under the control of uniformed law enforcement officers, and dogs accompanying uniformed employees of private patrol operators.

Image from Pettable

#5: Pets and Housing

​One of the most important factors when navigating pet ownership is ensuring that your beloved companion can live with you in your home. In Los Angeles, the city’s Pet-Friendly Housing Ordinance requires landlords of multifamily housing units to provide a copy of pet policies to tenants, a standard that is encouraged for all landlords to follow. Some of the mandatory pet policies included in the Housing Ordinance encompass many of the things discussed previously such as licensing, picking up after pets, and the consistent use of leashes, but there are other requirements that the Ordinances touche on. Here is the comprehensive list of the Mandatory and Discretionary Pet Policy Guidelines included in the Pet-Friend Housing Ordinance.

One of the policies not explicitly included in the Ordinance, but outlined in previously passed Californian legislation, is the guideline towards residents with service animals. In California, landlords must provide “reasonable accommodation” to residents with disabilities; reasonable accommodation being the requirement that landlords make the necessary adjustments to properly and effectively accommodate a person with a disability. Because service animals are vital to people with disabilities, landlords are expected to allow service animals in their facilities, even if there is an already present “no pet” policy. In addition, California landlords cannot require residents with service animals to pay any pet fee or additional cost due to the use of a service animal on their premises.

​In addition, it is important to note the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Los Angeles residential pet policy. In 2020, temporary measures were adopted that allowed tenants living in buildings that banned pets to foster or adopt animals with no fear of eviction. This law was extended in early 2024, preventing landlords from evicting tenants who adopted a pet before January 31st, 2023 during the pandemic. If you are having any issues with your landlord in a no-pet building regarding a companion you took in during the pandemic, this legislation can help prevent any threat of eviction or other penalties that you may be encountering.

Image by Igor Sporynin on Unsplash

Conclusion

Whether you are in the process of adding a furry friend to your family or moving to Los Angeles with your lifelong companion, it is important to learn some of the LA-specific pet policies and legislation that might influence  life with your pet. At PAWS/LA, we strive to ease some of the challenges faced by seniors, military veterans and individuals living with HIV or AIDS. Other organizations may be equipped to assist low-income pet owners as they navigate the often complex L.A. legal system. The bond between pets and people is both important and strong. To preserve it, we should always be aware of, and abide by the laws set in place to protect our pets, ourselves, and others!

Image from One Health org