Watertown, Massachusetts

§ 91.03 Dog licensing.

(A) Annual dog licensing fee. No person shall own or keep a dog, six months of age or older, within the City unless an annual license for such dog is obtained from the City Clerk. The fee for such a license shall be $10 for each dog. The licensing period shall be from January 1 through December 31. The license fee for each dog owned or kept by persons aged 60 or older shall be $5. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to veterinary establishments that are subject to kennel licensing. Pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 140, § 139(C), no licensing fee shall be charged for a service animal.

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(C) Additional requirements. No dog six months of age or older shall be licensed unless there is presented to the City Clerk at the time of licensing either:

(1) Proof that the dog has been spayed or neutered;

(2) A statement signed by a veterinarian stating a reason why spaying or neutering has been delayed;

(3) A statement signed by the owner or keeper of the dog that a decision has been made not to spay or neuter the dog; or

(4) A statement signed by a veterinarian or the animal control officer that the animal appears to have been spayed or neutered in the past.

(D) Breeder’s license. An annual breeder’s license shall be obtained for any dog with respect to which a statement is presented that a decision has been made not to spay or neuter. The fee for such a breeder’s license shall be $25 for each dog, and such fee shall be in addition to the fee imposed pursuant to § 91.03(A) of this chapter.

§ 91.08 Cats.

(D) Outdoor cat requirements.

(1) All cats allowed or found outdoors for any length of time shall be outfitted with a microchip. All cats allowed outdoors shall be spayed or neutered. Any cat found at large that cannot be immediately identified shall be deemed a stray.

(2) Exemptions. This section shall not apply to a cat with a high likelihood of suffering serious bodily harm or death if spayed, neutered, or microchipped, due to age or infirmity. The owner or custodian must obtain written confirmation of this fact from a Massachusetts-licensed veterinarian. If the cat is able to be safely spayed, neutered, or microchipped at a later date, that date must be stated in the written confirmation.