Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky

Sec. 4-1.1. – Animal adoption.

(b)   Any person who in any calendar year offers ten (10) or more animals for adoption within Fayette County shall be considered an adoption agency and shall comply with the following conditions:

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(2)   Shall, at a minimum, spay or neuter, vaccinate for rabies, obtain and maintain all applicable state and local licenses, and microchip with an identification tag all animals offered for adoption. On the date of the adoption, the adoption agency shall provide the adopter with documentary evidence of compliance with this subsection.

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(5)   If it is not medically advisable to neuter or spay the animal offered for adoption, then the adoption agency and the adopter shall enter into a written adoption contract in which the adopter agrees to have the animal spayed or neutered within a period of four (4) months from the date of adoption and the adoption agency agrees to pay the cost of neutering or spaying the animal at the appropriate time. A written statement from a licensed veterinarian shall be required to qualify for the temporary exemption from neutering or spaying. Evidence of payment for the cost of neutering or spaying the animal shall be provided in writing to the person adopting the animal on the date of the adoption.

Sec. 4-12.3. – License required for dogs or cats.

(a)   Any owner of dogs or cats within the urban county shall apply to the designated license facility for the appropriate license. Proof of licensure shall be evidenced by a license tag issued by the designated license facility. Licenses shall be required for each dog or cat six (6) months of age or older and rabies vaccination shall be required for each dog or cat four (4) months of age or older. Individual dog and cat licenses shall be renewed each year on or before the last day of the month in which the animal’s license was issued. License and rabies tags shall be firmly attached to a harness or collar worn by the animal at all times. If a dog or cat is found not to be wearing its license or rabies tag, the owner may prove that the dog or cat is properly vaccinated and licensed by producing a certificate of licensure and evidence of inoculation or by purchasing a vaccination voucher. Animals kept temporarily (not in excess of thirty (30) days) for the purpose of breeding or showing shall not require an individual dog or cat license provided that the owner has proof of a current rabies vaccination.

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(d)   The fee for each dog and cat license shall be eight dollars ($8.00) for an altered dog or cat and forty dollars ($40.00) for an unaltered dog or cat. In order to receive the reduced license fee for an altered dog or cat, the owner or custodian of the animal must provide either proof of alteration from a licensed veterinarian or a written statement from a licensed veterinarian that the spay or neuter procedure would be harmful to the animal. The fee for reissuance of a lost, unexpired license shall be one dollar ($1.00).

Sec. 4-21.1. – Spay/neuter grant program.

(a)   The dog and cat spay and neuter grant program is hereby established to provide grants to qualified residents of the urban county who own unaltered dogs or cats.

(b)   A qualified animal owner may receive a grant of up to one hundred (100) percent of the reasonable cost of spaying and neutering his or her dog or cat and a partially qualified animal owner may receive a grant of up to eighty (80) percent of the reasonable cost of spaying or neutering his or her dog or cat.

(c)   The agency designated by the department of public safety shall be responsible for operating and administering the grant program consistent with the provisions of this chapter, and shall file, at least annually, with the commissioner of the department of public safety a report of all funds received and expended for the program.

(d)   The dog and cat spay and neuter grant program shall be funded by fees retained by the above-referenced agency for funding of the program and donations.