Kings County, California

Sec. 4-20. – Mandatory spaying or neutering of dogs and cats.

The board of supervisors hereby finds and declares that a program for the mandatory spaying or neutering of dogs and cats in the County of Kings, along with a licensing and certification structure designed to manage the unaltered dogs and cats owned in the county is a reasonable and effective means of reducing the population of homeless dogs and cats in the County of Kings.

No person may own or harbor a dog or cat over the age of four months in violation of this section. All unaltered dogs or cats must be spayed or neutered or, in the case of an unaltered dog, be licensed in accordance with section 4-38.

Any person who owns or harbors a dog or cat which is unable to be spayed or neutered without a high likelihood of suffering serious bodily harm or death due to age, infirmity, or a medical condition, must obtain written verification of the inability from a licensed veterinarian. The writing must state whether the inability is permanent or temporary and, if temporary, when the dog or cat may be spayed or neutered in the future.

Sec. 4-24. – Altered dog license application.

The dog license required by this chapter may be obtained by submitting a current rabies vaccination certificate, submitting proof that the dog has been spayed or neutered, providing the required information and paying the proper fee to the animal control officer. The information required for a license shall include the dog’s breed, age, sex, color, rabies vaccination certificate number, date of issuance and expiration date, and the name, address and telephone number of the owner. The officer shall record the information on the receipt to be given for payment of the license fee. The expiration date of the rabies vaccination shall be recorded on the receipt. The license fee shall be paid at the time the application is made.

Sec. 4-33. – Multiple animal permit for altered dogs or cats.

Every person who owns, manages, or operates a kennel housing ten or more altered dogs or cats shall obtain a multiple animal permit.

Sec. 4-38. – Annual unaltered dog license—Requirements.

An owner of an unaltered dog over the age of four months must obtain an annual unaltered dog license for the dog. The license shall be issued if the animal control officer has determined that all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The dog is one of the following: a competition dog; a public service/military dog, a service dog as defined in section 4-3, or a dog which is unable to be spayed or neutered as set forth in section 4-20, subdivision (c);

(2) The owner has submitted the required application and has paid the fee as set by the board of supervisors; and

(3) The unaltered dog shall be confined upon the owner’s property in a suitable housing facility or enclosure that prevents the dog from running at large.

Sec. 4-39. – Denial or revocation of an unaltered dog license.

The animal control officer may deny or revoke an unaltered dog license for one or more of the following reasons:

(1) The applicant or licensee is not in compliance with the requirements of section 4-38;

(2) The applicant or licensee has been previously cited for violating a state law, county ordinance or code, or any other statute or regulation relating to the care and control of animals;

(3) The unaltered dog has been adjudicated by a court or an agency of appropriate jurisdiction to be a potentially dangerous or vicious dog or to be a nuisance within the meaning of the Kings County Code of Ordinances or under state law;

(4) Any unaltered dog license held by the applicant or licensee has been previously revoked;

(5) A female unaltered dog has had more than one litter per year, or five or more litters in her lifetime; or

(6) The license application is discovered to contain a material misrepresentation of fact.

If the unaltered dog license is denied or revoked, the owner must comply with section 4-24 and obtain an altered dog license.

Sec. 4-40. – Transfer, sale, adoption, and breeding of unaltered dog.

An owner who offers any unaltered dog for sale, transfer, or adoption must include a valid unaltered dog license number with the offer of the sale, transfer, or adoption. Subsequent to the sale, transfer, or adoption of the unaltered dog, the new owner, if a resident of the County of Kings, shall have 30 days to apply for a new unaltered dog license or spay or neuter the dog in accordance with this article and obtain a license as provided in section 4-24.