Rohnert Park, California

6.04.150 – Cats—Spay/neuter requirements.

No person owning or otherwise having a cat over four months of age in his or her care, charge, control, custody or possession shall cause, permit or allow such cat to be unconfined in or upon any public street, road, alley or other public or private place, including the exterior yards of the animal owner’s property, unless such cat is spayed or neutered. An animal control officer may seize or impound every cat found in violation of this section and shall require the owners or guardians of the cat to either spay or neuter the cat within fifteen days of such violation or produce a certificate of sterilization proving that the cat is already altered. Failure to comply will result in a citation.

When a person is cited or an animal is impounded under this section, the owner of the cat, if known, shall be notified in writing and given seven calendar days to request a hearing held in accordance with Chapter 6.10 of this Title to determine if such sterilization should be held in abeyance. The decision of the shelter supervisor shall be final.

6.04.160 – Dogs—Spay/neuter requirements.

A. No person may own or keep any pit bull within the city limits that the person knew or should have known has not been spayed or neutered. The following exceptions apply:

1. The pit bull is under four months of age;

2. The pit bull cannot be spayed or neutered without a high likelihood of suffering serious physical injury or death due to a medical condition that has been certified by a licensed veterinarian. Evidence of the pit bull’s medical condition must be submitted to the animal control officer, if requested, within thirty calendar days of the request;

3. The pit bull has been present in the city of Rohnert Park for less than thirty days;

4. The determination of whether the breed is a pit bull is under appeal pursuant to Chapter 6.10;

5. The pit bull is a show dog. Evidence that the pit bull is a show dog must be submitted to the animal control officer within thirty calendar days of the operative date of this chapter, or within thirty calendar days of taking possession of the unspayed or unneutered pit bull, and shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

(i) Proof of registration with the American Kennel Club, United Kingdom Kennel Club, and/or American Dog Breeders Association, and

(ii) Documentation certifying that the pit bull has been or is being trained for the purpose of show, field trials, or agility trials.

6. The pit bull has been trained and is being used as a service dog and/or an assistance dog. Evidence that the pit bull has been trained and is being used as a service dog and/or an assistance dog must be submitted to the animal control officer within thirty calendar days of the operative date of this chapter, or within thirty calendar days of taking possession of the unspayed or unneutered pit bull.

B. Penalties. In addition to the penalties set forth in Chapter 1 .16 of this Municipal Code, failure to comply with subsection (A) above may result in the impoundment of the pit bull. In order for the owner of the pit bull to reclaim the pit bull from the shelter, in addition to paying the requisite fees set forth in Section 6.08.150 of this chapter, one of the following must occur:

1. A veterinarian, chosen by the shelter, must spay or neuter the pit bull. The owner of the pit bull shall pay the cost of such sterilization and reclaim the pit bull from the veterinarian after the sterilization procedure is completed; or

2. A veterinarian, chosen by the owner of the pit bull, must spay or neuter the pit bull. The veterinarian must practice within ten miles of the city of Rohnert Park’s animal shelter. The shelter supervisor may release the pit bull either to the owner or directly to the veterinarian prior to the sterilization, provided, however, that if the shelter supervisor releases the pit bull to the owner, the owner must sign an affidavit affirming that he or she will arrange for the pit bull to be spayed or neutered within five days of the pit bull’s release. Upon completion of the sterilization procedure, the owner shall provide written documentation to the shelter officer verifying that such procedure occurred. If the shelter supervisor does not receive such documentation within thirty days of the pit bull’s release, or if the owner of the pit bull fails to have the pit bull spayed or neutered within five days of the pit bull’s release, the shelter supervisor shall have the authority to impound the pit bull a second time, and the owner may be charged with a second violation of this section.

6.08.190 – Mandatory sterilization for second impound.

A. Any animal which is impounded by any agency within the city two or more times while under the same ownership shall be microchipped and ordered spayed or neutered within fifteen days of being released to the owner (at the owner’s expense and at the veterinarian of the owner’s choosing). The cost of the microchipping shall be added to the redemption fee described in Section 6.08.150 of this chapter. The owner of the animal shall provide written documentation from the veterinarian performing the surgery to the animal control officer within seven days of the surgery as verification that such surgery occurred.

B. Any owner of an impounded animal subject to mandatory sterilization under subsection (A) above may request, in writing and within seven calendar days following notice of the second impoundment, a hearing to be conducted by the shelter supervisor or his or her designee. Such hearing shall be held within five calendar days of such request and shall determine whether good cause exists for an exemption from the provisions of subsection (A) herein. If no good cause is established, then the animal shall be ordered to be spayed or neutered.

C. Good cause for an exemption from mandatory sterilization shall exist if the animal was at large due to an act of God, emergency, or other mitigating factor not caused by the negligence of the owner or other person in control of the animal, or upon presentation of documentation from the animal’s veterinarian stating that a health condition exists that would preclude such a surgery. The burden of proof to establish good cause for an exemption shall be upon the owner and shall be established by a preponderance of the evidence.

6.12.010 – License—Required.

Every owner of a dog or cat which is four months of age or older, and which is kept in the city, shall obtain a license tag and annual license for such dog or cat from the licensing agency and shall pay the annual fee imposed by a resolution of the city council. No person shall refuse to exhibit such license when so directed by a public safety or animal control officer.

6.12.050 – License—Annual fee imposed.

An annual dog and cat license fee set by resolution of the city council is imposed upon every dog and cat four months and older which is kept in the city by any person who is an owner as defined in Section 6.02.070 of this Title. Such license fee shall be reduced by at least fifty percent for spayed or neutered dogs or cats. The license fee is due and payable thirty days following the day upon which the dog or cat is four months old, or thirty days following the day upon which the dog or cat, if over the age of four months, is first owned by a resident of the city and thereafter on the anniversary date of the license or upon expiration of the rabies vaccination. The fee is an annual fee and shall not in any case be prorated.