San Francisco Dog Laws

Dog License Law

• Dog owners must license their dog in San Francisco. The license is the dog's identification. It ensures that the dog is vaccinated for rabies when the license is kept up-to-date. The rabies vaccine is mandatory to obtain a license. San Francisco's dog licensing law requires dog owners to renew the license annually. A 30-day window is given after the expiration date before an additional late fee is added. As of 2010, the late fee is $12. The same rule applies to new residents who also have 30 days to obtain a dog license. As of 2010, an unaltered, one-year license costs $28, and an altered, one-year license costs $15. A small discount is offered to senior dog owners and for multi-year license purchases. The license fee pays for the Animal Care and Control, the city's animal shelter for lost and unwanted pets.

Rabies Vaccine

• The city requires all dogs over the age of four months receive regular rabies vaccinations.

Curb Your Dog

• Dog owners must pick up and properly dispose of their dog's waste. The law states dog owners must carry "a suitable instrument" when accompanying their pet in public areas.

The Car

• It's against city law to leave a dog unattended in a car without proper ventilation.

Leash Law

• Dogs must be leashed at all times unless in one of the designated dog playgrounds located throughout the city.

Dog Bite Law

• Dog owners must supply their name, contact information and valid ID together with the dog's vaccination record when the dog bites a person or animal.

Pit Bull Law

• In 2006, San Francisco instituted a law mandating that all pit bulls be sterilized. The law is known as the spay and neutering ordinance and applies only to this specific breed of dog. City officials passed the law in response to a fatal dog attack by two, unsterilized pit bulls on a 12-year-old boy.

  The purpose of the law is to limit the number of unwanted pit bulls and to reduce male aggression---a characteristic associated with this breed. As of 2007, 500 pit bulls were spayed and neutered by Animal Care and Control---the city agency responsible for sterilizing the dogs.

  The law permits animal control officers to hand out a summons to dog owners unwilling to comply with the law. The summons gives dog owners two weeks to sterilize their dog. After two weeks pass, animal control officers return to the home of the dog to confirm it has been sterilized.

  The law gives animal control officers the authority to issue a fine of $500 for the first violation. Repeated violations mean the city has the right to seize the dog and even sentence jail time its owner.

Proper Canine Care

• City ordinance states all dogs must be enclosed in a protective shelter big enough for it to stand, move around and rest easily. Dogs also must be given fresh water in a sound container, as well as a good amount of food. Dog owners must provide the dog with regular exercise. The city issues penalties for dog owners or their guardians for failing to adhere to the ordinance. Penalties range from $50 for the first offense up to $1,000 with possible jail time for repeat offenders.