Kern County, California

7.08.190 – Return of animals to owner.

A. The owner of any animal impounded but not quarantined may, at any time during regular working hours and before the adoption or other disposition thereof, redeem the animal by showing proof of ownership and paying the director all the fees and fines thereon including, but not limited to, applicable administrative penalties, rabies vaccination fee if not current, vaccinations for other communicable diseases in accordance with current practice as determined by the director, license fee if unlicensed, county impound fees, board and care charges, spay/neuter fee or cost of providing the service, microchipping fee, other service fees and veterinary charges if applicable in accordance with the fee schedule as established by the board of supervisors.

1. Such spay/neuter fee shall be refundable upon submission, to the director, of a written request and proof that the animal has been altered by a licensed veterinarian within sixty (60) days of redemption unless the animal is certified by a licensed veterinarian as too ill or injured to be sterilized. In such cases, the spay/neuter fee shall be refundable upon submission, to the director, of a written request and written certification from a licensed veterinarian within thirty (30) days of redemption, that the animal can not be sterilized. Such spay/neuter fee shall also be refundable if the owner submits, within thirty (30) days of redemption, a written certification from a licensed veterinarian stating that, in the professional judgment of the veterinarian, the animal has previously been altered. The spay/neuter fee shall be forfeited to the county if such proof of sterilization or written certification has not been presented to the director within the specified period. All such forfeited deposits shall be deposited into a trust fund used to issue sterilization vouchers and to pay for sterilization by the director of adoptable animals.

2. No animal shall be released to its owner after a third impoundment unless it has been sterilized. The owner of the animal shall be liable for the cost of the sterilization procedure and related expenses as well as the other enumerated charges contained in this section.

B. In accordance with Section 30804.7 and 31751.7 of the Food and Agriculture Code, the owner of any non-spayed or un-neutered dog or cat that is impounded shall be fined as follows:

7.08.200 – Adoption charges.

The director shall charge fees in accordance with the fee schedule as established by the board of supervisors as follows:

A. Any impounded and unredeemed live animal held the required time and not suffering from any infectious or communicable disease may be adopted upon the adopter meeting the following conditions:

1. Dogs may be adopted upon payment of an adoption fee, a rabies vaccination fee or rabies voucher, a license fee, a spay/neuter fee, a microchipping fee and other services in accordance with the fee schedule as established by the board of supervisors; and, must be in compliance with the provisions of state law dealing with the sterilization of dogs.

2. Cats may be adopted upon payment of an adoption fee, a vaccination fee, a spay/neuter fee, microchipping fee and other services in accordance with the fee schedule as established by the board of supervisors; and, must be in compliance with the provisions of state law dealing with the sterilization of cats.

3. Dogs and cats too young or infirm to be sterilized may be adopted subject to the adopter establishing proof of sterilization, or returning the animal for sterilization to the department, on a date determined at the time of adoption. Anyone who fails to comply with this sterilization requirement is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable as provided in Section 1.12.030 of the Kern County Ordinance Code.

7.08.430 – Spaying and neutering of dogs and cats program.

The department will develop a spaying and neutering program to include:

1. Financial assistance with the costs of spaying and neutering dogs and cats,

2. Offer information on other programs and veterinary services to pet owners,

3. Develop and disseminate spay/neuter education materials,

4. Implement programs encouraging spaying and neutering as well as other aspects of humane animal care,

5. Develop and maintain statistical information for use by the department to determine the best methodologies for pet population control, and

6. Run a foster/adoption program.

7.08.470 – Terms of unaltered dog license.

A. The unaltered dog license shall contain the following terms and conditions:

1. 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;

2. 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;

3. The owner shall submit in writing to the department the name, address and telephone number of the person(s) who received any of the offspring, whether for compensation or otherwise, within five (5) days of the sale or transfer;

4. The owner shall provide to all persons who receive any offspring, whether for compensation or otherwise, an application for a Kern County dog license, as well as written information regarding Kern County’s dog license requirements. The owner shall obtain these documents from the department.