Brief

The Department of Animal Services requested an amendment to LAMC Section 53.06.01 to allow Los Angeles residents to keep up to four dogs per household instead of the current limit of three. The City Council adopted the measure unanimously on November 6, 2024, with a 14-0-1 vote. A City Attorney report was subsequently referred to the Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee in June 2026 and remains pending there.

Full summary

The Department of Animal Services initiated this code amendment on October 9, 2024, proposing to increase the maximum number of household dogs allowed in the City of Los Angeles from three to four. The change targets LAMC Section 53.06.01(a), which governs residential pet ownership limits. The proposal moved quickly through committee and full Council, with the Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee approving it on October 23, 2024, followed by a 14-0-1 Council vote adopting the measure on November 6, 2024. Nearly two years later, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto transmitted a draft ordinance on June 15, 2026, formally implementing what the Council had approved in principle. The draft ordinance makes two substantive changes to the municipal code: it amends Section 53.06.1(a) to raise the household dog limit from three to four, and it revises the definition of "Dog Kennel" in Section 53.00 for consistency with the new limit. The City Attorney also recommends that the Council separately direct the Planning Department to update the definition of "Kennel" in the Zoning Code at Section 12.03, to ensure that animal services and zoning regulations remain aligned. The draft ordinance was referred to the Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee on June 16, 2026, where it currently awaits action. Final adoption of the implementing ordinance is needed before the higher dog limit takes legal effect. The file remains open and does not expire until June 2028.

Activity (9)

• 2026-06-16 City Attorney document(s) referred to Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee.
• 2026-06-15 Document submitted by City Attorney, dated June 15, 2026.
• 2024-11-06 Council action final.
• 2024-11-06 Council adopted item forthwith.
• 2024-11-01 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on November 6, 2024.
• 2024-10-23 Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee approved item(s) .
• 2024-10-18 Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on October 23, 2024.
• 2024-10-10 Department of Animal Services document(s) referred to Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee.
• 2024-10-09 Document(s) submitted by Department of Animal Services, as follows:Department of Animal Services report, dated October 9, 2024, relative to requesting the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) Section 53.06.01 be amended to increase the limit of household dogs from three to four in the City of Los Angeles.

Documents (7)

• 2026-06-15 Report from City Attorney · report
• 2026-06-15 Attachment to Report dated 6-15-26 - Draft Ordinance · attachment
• 2024-11-06 Council Action · council_action
• 2024-11-06 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2024-10-23 Report from Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee · report
• 2024-10-23 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2024-10-09 Report from Department of Animal Services · report

Council votes (1)

• 2024-11-06 Adopted Forthwith — 14-0-1 · Regular