Garden Grove council introduces ordinance to allow pot‑bellied pigs as permitted residential pets

The Garden Grove City Council on April 28 moved to introduce an ordinance that would amend the municipal code to permit pot‑bellied pigs on residential properties under a new permit and care framework.

City Attorney Sandoval summarized the proposal as an exception to the city’s existing prohibition on farm animals that would allow no more than two pot‑bellied pigs per lot, require a permit, require pigs to be neutered and vaccinated, mandate daily removal of waste, and require that animals be maintained in a sanitary condition and restrained on a leash when off the premises. ‘‘They are not to be bred,’’ Sandoval said, describing the measure as “very similar to the regulations we have for dogs.”

The ordinance was introduced after a series of public comments from residents asking the council to permit the animals in particular circumstances. Lindsey Clemens, identifying herself as Hank Clemens’s daughter, told the council the pigs ‘‘are our pets and obviously living beings’’ and said the family has raised the animals since they were young. Her sister, Chloe Clemens, said she helped raise the pigs and described them as ‘‘part of my everyday life, my comfort, and my home.’’ Their father, Hank Clemens, added that one pig, Peppa, is blind and that ‘‘taking them away from us wouldn’t just be enforcing a rule. It would mean removing them from the only home they’ve known their entire lives.’’

Several council members said they had inspected the animals and were comfortable with the proposed safeguards. One council member who sponsored the item described the proposal as tailored to a specific pet breed and not a change to allow farm hogs; other members voiced concerns about neighbors and said staff must enforce the ordinance’s sanitary provisions if complaints arise.

Council action: A motion to introduce the ordinance carried 7‑0. City Attorney Sandoval clarified that the item will return for adoption at the next council meeting and, per state law, would take effect 30 days after adoption; staff will develop a permit process and bring back a recommended application fee to cover processing costs.

What’s next: The council introduced the ordinance (first reading). Adoption is scheduled for the subsequent council meeting; enforcement and permit requirements will begin only after the ordinance becomes effective. The council asked staff to return with a permit fee recommendation and implementation details.