Lassen County, California

§ 8.08.060.1 Unaltered dogs at large.

(a) The owner of a nonspayed or unneutered dog that is impounded once by a city or county animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or humane society, shall be fined thirty-five dollars on the first occurrence, fifty dollars on the second occurrence, and one hundred dollars for the third or subsequent occurrence. These fines are for unneutered impounded animals only, and are not in lieu of any fines or impound fees imposed by any individual city, county, public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, or humane society shelter.

(b) An animal control officer, humane officer, police officer, peace officer, or any agency authorized to enforce the Penal code may write citations with a civil penalty stated in an amount corresponding to the violation as provided in subsection (a). The fines shall be paid to the local municipality or public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals’ shelter, or humane society shelter. Any funds collected under this section shall be expended for the purpose of humane education, programs for low cost spaying and neutering of dogs, and any additional costs incurred by the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals’ shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group in the administration of the requirements of this division.

§ 8.10.150 Adoption procedures.

(b) Persons desiring to purchase an animal from the animal shelter must pay the adoption fee, if applicable, and the spay/neuter deposit. The purchaser of a dog shall comply with the licensing requirements of Chapter 8.12 and comply with Section 8.14.060 of this code.

(c) Spay/Neuter Deposit. Before any animal which is not spayed or neutered is sold or given away, the new owner shall pay a deposit of forty dollars for spaying or neutering the animal. If a female cat/dog and her kittens/puppies or a female cat and her kittens are sold or given away to one individual, only a single deposit shall be required. The deposit shall be returned to the new owner upon presentation of a written statement or receipt from the veterinarian or clinic that the dog or cat has been spayed or neutered. Any dog or cat over four months of age at the time it is sold or given away by the pound or shelter shall be spayed or neutered within sixty days or the deposit shall be deemed unclaimed. Any dog or cat four months of age or younger at the time it is sold or given away by the pound or shelter shall be spayed or neutered within six months or the deposit shall be deemed unclaimed. Any deposit not claimed shall be used for the purposes of a program to spay or neuter dogs and cats, a follow-up program to assure that animals sold or given away by the shelter are spayed or neutered, or to cover any additional costs incurred under this section.

(d) Return of Physically Unsuitable Animals. Any purchaser of an impounded animal may, within thirty days of such purchase, return the animal if it has been examined by a veterinarian and has been determined to be physically unsuitable for placement. No part of the license and adoption fee shall be refunded. The spay/neuter deposit may be applied toward the purchase of another impounded animal within thirty calendar days of the original purchase or refunded, whichever is preferred by the purchaser.

§ 8.12.010 License required.

Every person who owns, possesses, harbors, or controls any dog over the age of four months shall obtain a license for such dog. Within thirty days after any unlicensed dog over the age of four months is acquired or brought into the county, its owner shall obtain a license.

§ 8.12.040 Individual licenses—Fees.

(e) Spayed or Neutered Dogs—License Fee. The fee for dogs certified by a veterinarian as being spayed or neutered shall be one-half or less of the regular fee.