The term "animal" as used in this Chapter shall mean all members of the animal kingdom (excluding human beings), including but not necessarily limited to birds, poultry, fowl, reptiles, insects and bees.
Unless an animal is designated as an exception to this provision, it shall be unlawful for any person to keep any animal on real property within the City without a duly issued and currently valid permit issued in the form and manner designated in this Chapter.
(Ord. 2201 11-5-74)
No permit to keep animals shall be required in the following categories:
1) 
Household Pets. This category shall consist of dogs, cats, canaries, parrots, parakeets, birds of like character and fish.
2) 
Race Track Property. Animals kept within property owned or controlled by any racing association duly licensed by the State of California to conduct horse racing under the laws of the State of California.
3) 
Pet Shop. Any pet shop or bird store duly licensed by the City and located in any C-2, C-3, M-1 or M-2 zone.
4) 
Laboratory Animals. Any laboratory holding a valid clinical laboratory permit issued by the State Department of Health.
5) 
Schools. Animals used by schools including public and private.
6) 
Circus Animals. Animals including lions may be kept by operators of a circus, carnival, wild west show or parade which has been otherwise licensed and permitted by the City; provided, however, that such animals may not be brought into the City more than 24 hours prior to the commencement of such circus, carnival or wild west show or parade, nor may such animals be permitted to remain in the City for more than 24 hours after the conclusion of such events.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, harbor or maintain three or more dogs on any lot, building, structure or premises for any purpose without a special kennel permit first had and obtained from the Permits and Licenses Committee.
Any person desiring a permit required by this Article shall make written application therefor on forms to be furnished by the Permits and Licenses Committee and file such application with the Secretary of said Committee. Applications shall state the number of dogs to be kept in a kennel or other animals to be kept and the location; the specie of animal; the facilities provided therefor and such other facts upon which the applicant may rely.
Upon receiving the application, the City Clerk shall present the application for permit to the Permits and Licenses Committee at the earliest practicable time. Upon receipt of such application, the Committee shall either grant the permit subject to such conditions as the Committee may impose or set the permit for hearing before the Committee at a time not earlier than five days following notice thereof to all parties involved in the application.
If the Committee sets a hearing on the application, the Committee shall follow the procedure governing the conduct of hearings generally before the Committee, as well as the standards applicable to Committee determinations.
Any permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter between January 1 and October 31 of any year shall expire on December 31 of the year that it is issued. Any permit issued between November 1 and December 31 of any year shall expire on December 31 of the following year.
A permit for the keeping of animals shall be renewed by the Permits and Licenses Committee during November and December of each year, provided that the applicant for the renewal, at the time the renewal application is filed, holds a valid, unexpired permit for the keeping of such animals.
It shall be lawful for a person to keep any animal, other than a lion, within a territory subject to annexation by the City until sixty days after the effective date of the annexation of such territory into the city.
Any permit issued pursuant to this Chapter may be revoked at any time by the Permits and Licenses Committee. The Committee may revoke a permit at any time it determines that the manner in which such animals are kept is, or will, in any manner endanger the public health, safety or welfare, or that the animals have been kept in an illegal, improper or unsanitary manner. The Committee may revoke any permit issued for the keeping of animals where the permittee has violated or permitted the violation of any of the laws of the State or any provisions of this code. No permit for the keeping of animals shall be revoked by the committee under the terms of this Section unless the permittee shall have been adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor involving the keeping of such animals or unless notice and a public hearing thereon be first given the permittee.
Any applicant dissatisfied with a determination of the committee may appeal such determination to the City Council in accordance with the procedure for appeals to the City Council generally as designated in this Code.