Coalinga, California

Sec. 6-1.22. – Control of unspayed and unaltered cats.

It shall be unlawful for any person who owns, harbors or keeps any unspayed or unaltered cat four (4) months of age or older within the City to allow or permit such unspayed or unaltered cat to be or remain outdoors.

Sec. 6-1.24. – Animal impoundment.

(c) Disposition of animals.

(4) Sale and adoption. Any healthy dog, cat or other animal not redeemed by the owner or keeper after three (3) days (not including the day of impoundment), may be sold at auction or to any responsible person desiring to purchase such animal for a price to be determined by an Animal Control Officer but not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00) per animal, plus license fees, veterinary charges, spay or neuter charges and rabies vaccination charges, if required. No person shall be permitted to adopt or purchase any dog or cat which has not been spayed or neutered, from any public pound, any animal shelter, society or organization.

Sec. 6-1.4.1. – Breeding, transfer and sale of dogs and cats.

The Council of the City of Coalinga finds and declares that there exists a serious pet overpopulation problem within the City of Coalinga that has resulted in a threat to public safety and health, inhumane treatment of animals, mass killing of animals at the local animal shelter and escalating costs for animal care and control. The Council finds that uncontrolled breeding is a cause and, without further action aimed at the source, this problem and its serious consequences will remain unabated and will increase in severity.

The Council finds that part of the solution is for all dogs over the age of five (5) months to be spayed or neutered, unless their owners purchase the appropriate license for the privilege of maintaining the animal intact and allowing it to breed. Further, the Council finds that regulation of the transfer of dogs and cats will help alleviate the City’s pet overpopulation crisis by allowing increased City control over enforcement of the dog licensing provisions and limiting the means of obtaining a dog or cat.

(a) The unaltered dog license shall contain the following terms and conditions:

(1)  The owner of an unaltered female dog shall not allow the whelping of more than one (1) litter within the permit year.

(2) No offspring may be sold, adopted, bartered or otherwise transferred, whether for compensation or otherwise, until such offspring has reached the age of at least eight (8) weeks.

(3) The owner must prominently display their unaltered dog license number in any advertisement to the public for the sale, adoption or transfer (whether for compensation or otherwise) of the offspring. The owner must provide the unaltered dog license number to any person who purchases, adopts or receives the offspring and include the unaltered dog license number on any receipt of sale or transfer document.

(4) The Owner shall provide to all persons who receive any offspring, whether for compensation or otherwise, an application for a City of Coalinga dog license, as well as written information regarding the City of Coalinga’s dog license requirements. The owner shall obtain these documents from the Animal Control Officer or the controller.

(5) At no time shall the number of animals kept be in excess of the limits set in Section 9-5-104.