Inyo County, California

§ 8.28.050 Shelter adoption procedures.

Members of the public may inquire about animals available for adoption from the shelter during regular operating hours. Any person wishing to adopt an animal from the shelter will first be interviewed by a shelter attendant to ensure that the person is capable of caring for the animal after its adoption and can provide the animal with a suitable home. If the shelter attendant is satisfied that the person can provide the animal with the requisite care and home, the person will be permitted to adopt the animal, provided the person first pays the adoption fee required by this chapter, makes a spay/neuter deposit in accordance with Section 8.28.060 of this chapter, and signs a form by which the person acknowledges the general characteristics of animals and releases the county of Inyo and its employees from any liability associated with the adoption.

§ 8.28.060 Spay/neuter deposit.

In accordance with Food and Agricultural Code Sections 30503 and 31751, no dog or cat that has not been spayed or neutered may be adopted from the shelter unless the person wishing to adopt, in addition to paying the adoption fee, makes a spay/neuter deposit in the amount set forth in Section 8.28.040. Upon making such deposit the adopting party shall receive a copy of the “Inyo County Animal Control Animal Adoption Form” (adoption form) which, at his/her option, may either be (A) redeemed in the amount of the deposit by a veterinarian located in Inyo County or registered with the Inyo County animal control division and applied toward the cost to spay/neuter the animal or (B) fully redeemed for the cash deposit left with the animal control division upon providing proof, to the satisfaction of the Inyo County animal control, that the animal has been spayed/neutered.

In either event the adoption form shall be redeemable for sixty days from the date of adoption in the case of animals older than six months at the time of adoption, and for six months from the date of adoption in the case of animals six months or younger at the time of adoption. Should the adoption form not be redeemed within these time periods, the deposit shall be forfeited to Inyo County animal control division and used for the purposes set forth in Food and Agricultural Code Sections 30503 and 31751.

§ 8.28.070 Mandatory spaying, neutering of animal after multiple impoundments.

When an unaltered animal is impounded by Inyo County for a third time, the owner or custodian may reclaim the unaltered animal after one of the following occurs:

A. The animal is spayed or neutered by a department approved veterinarian at the expense of the owner or custodian. Such expense may include additional fees due to extraordinary care required;

B. The owner or custodian may arrange for another department approved veterinarian to spay or neuter the animal, and shall pay to the department the cost to deliver the animal to the chosen veterinarian. The cost to deliver the animal shall be based on the department’s hourly rate established by the auditor-controller, billed in minimum one-hour increments. The veterinarian shall complete and return to the department within ten days, a statement confirming that the animal has been spayed or neutered and shall release the animal to the owner or custodian only after the spay or neuter procedure is complete; or

C. At the discretion of the sheriff, the animal may be released to the owner or custodian if he or she provides a spay/neuter deposit as set forth in Section 8.28.060, and signs a statement under penalty of perjury, representing that the animal will be spayed or neutered and that he or she will submit a statement within ten days, signed by the veterinarian, confirming that the animal has been spayed or neutered.