Section 597.4.
Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 597.4.
in effect(a)
It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully do either of the following:
(1)
Sell or give away as part of a commercial transaction a live animal on any street, highway, public right-of-way, parking lot, carnival, or boardwalk.
(2)
Display or offer for sale, or display or offer to give away as part of a commercial transaction, a live animal, if the act of selling or giving away the live animal is to occur on any street, highway, public right-of-way, parking lot, carnival, or boardwalk.
(b)
(1)
A person who violates this section for the first time shall be guilty of an infraction punishable by a fine not to
exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250).
(2)
A person who violates this section for the first time and by that violation either causes or permits any animal to suffer or be injured, or causes or permits any animal to be placed in a situation in which its life or health may be endangered, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(3)
A person who violates this section for a second or subsequent time shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(c)
A person who is guilty of a misdemeanor violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) per violation. The court shall weigh the gravity of the violation in setting the fine.
(d)
A notice describing the charge and the penalty for a violation of this section may be issued by any
peace officer, animal control officer, as defined in Section 830.9, or humane officer qualified pursuant to Section 14502 or 14503 of the Corporations Code.
(e)
This section shall not apply to the following:
(1)
Events held by 4-H Clubs, Junior Farmers Clubs, or Future Farmers Clubs.
(2)
The California Exposition and State Fair, district agricultural association fairs, or county fairs.
(3)
Stockyards with respect to which the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture has posted notice that the stockyards are regulated by the federal Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 (7 U.S.C. Sec. 181 et seq.).
(4)
The sale of cattle on consignment at any public cattle sales market, the sale
of sheep on consignment at any public sheep sales market, the sale of swine on consignment at any public swine sales market, the sale of goats on consignment at any public goat sales market, and the sale of equines on consignment at any public equine sales market.
(5)
Live animal markets regulated under Section 597.3.
(6)
A public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group regulated under Division 14 (commencing with Section 30501) of the Food and Agricultural Code. For purposes of this section, “rescue group” is a not-for-profit entity whose primary purpose is the placement of dogs, cats, or other animals that have been removed from a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, or humane society shelter, or that have been surrendered or
relinquished to the entity by the previous owner.
(7)
The sale of fish or shellfish, live or dead, from a fishing vessel or registered aquaculture facility, at a pier or wharf, or at a farmer’s market by any licensed commercial fisherman or an owner or employee of a registered aquaculture facility to the public for human consumption.
(8)
A cat show, dog show, or bird show, provided that all of the following circumstances exist:
(A)
The show is validly permitted by the city or county in which the show is held.
(B)
The show’s sponsor or permittee ensures compliance with all federal, state, and local animal welfare and animal control laws.
(C)
The participant has written documentation of the
payment of a fee for the entry of his or her cat, dog, or bird in the show.
(D)
The sale of a cat, dog, or bird occurs only on the premises and within the confines of the show.
(E)
The show is a competitive event where the cats, dogs, or birds are exhibited and judged by an established standard or set of ideals established for each breed or species.
(9)
A pet store as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 122350 of the Health and Safety Code.
(f)
Nothing in this section shall be construed to in any way limit or affect the application or enforcement of any other law that protects animals or the rights of consumers, including, but not limited to, the Lockyer-Polanco-Farr Pet Protection Act contained in Article 2 (commencing with Section 122125) of Chapter
5 of Part 6 of Division 105 of the Health and Safety Code, or Sections 597 and 597l of this code.
(g)
Nothing in this section limits or authorizes any act or omission that violates Section 597 or 597l, or any other local, state, or federal law. The procedures set forth in this section shall not apply to any civil violation of any other local, state, or federal law that protects animals or the rights of consumers, or to a violation of Section 597 or 597l, which is cited or prosecuted pursuant to one or both of those sections, or to a violation of any other local, state, or federal law that is cited or prosecuted pursuant to that law.
References
referencesCal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 30501.
referencesCal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 122350.
referencesCal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 122125.
referencesCal. Penal Code - PEN § 830.9.
referencesCal. Penal Code - PEN § 14502.
referencesCal. Penal Code - PEN § 597.3.
referencesCal. Penal Code - PEN § 597.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026