Santa Clara County, California

Sec. B31-3. – Animals running at large.

(b) No person shall permit a cat that has not been spayed or neutered to stray or run at large pursuant to Subsection (a) above.

Sec. B31-15. – Adoption of animals.

(a) Any person adopting an unspayed or unneutered dog or cat from the Santa Clara County animal shelter shall have said animal spayed or neutered or present the animal to the County animal shelter for spay or neuter on or before a date specified in the adoption agreement unless a licensed veterinarian states in writing that the date specified in the adoption agreement is inappropriate for the animal in question. On submission of such written statement, the adoption agreement will be modified accordingly.

(b) In accordance with the agreement signed at the time of adoption, the adopted animal shall remain the property of the County animal shelter until such time as the animal has been spayed or neutered and recovered from the procedure.

(c) The failure to spay or neuter the animal by the date specified in the adoption agreement, or failure to present the animal to the County animal shelter for spay or neuter surgery may result in the seizure of the animal in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 2, herein. In the event the animal is seized and spayed or neutered, the animal will be returned to the adopter. The adopter shall be charged a fee set forth by resolution of the Board of Supervisors for the cost of performing the spay or neuter and transporting the animal to and from the shelter.

(d) Violation of this section shall be deemed an infraction and shall be punishable in accordance with Section B31-16.

Sec. B31-32. – Maximum number of dogs or litters thereof.

(a) Unless a permit is obtained for a private kennel, commercial kennel, animal menagerie, or animal shelter, on parcels of less than five acres, the maximum number of dogs shall be two dogs over four months of age and the parturition, rearing or harboring of not more than one litter of puppies per calendar year. In addition, of the animals legally permitted on the property, not more than one female dog may be unspayed. A female dog shall be rebuttably presumed to be unspayed unless the owner/guardian provides evidence of spaying. Written certification from a licensed veterinarian that an animal cannot be spayed for health reasons or is incapable of breeding shall be deemed a satisfactory substitution for a certificate showing that an animal is spayed.

Sec. B31-34. – License required.

(a) No person shall own/be the guardian of, maintain or board any dog four months of age or older within unincorporated Santa Clara County which has not been licensed pursuant to the provisions of this article, except:

(1) A County license shall not be required for an animal owned/under the guardianship of or under the control of a nonresident of the county, and which is to be kept in the County for less than thirty days.

(2) A County license shall not be required for dogs temporarily brought into the County for entry into an event, show or exhibition scheduled not more than ten days thereafter.

Sec. B31-35. – License fees.

(a) Dog license fees for each dog within the County, including reduced fees for spayed females or neutered males, shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. The resolution shall also establish an additional fee to be paid for a license purchased more than sixty days after the deadline for purchase of a license as required under Section B31-34.

(c) The Manager may waive the license fee for only one spayed or neutered dog kept in a household where the owner/guardian of the dog is over the age of sixty-five years.

(d) The Manager may require the submission of a certificate of a licensed veterinarian stating that a dog has been spayed or neutered, or cannot be spayed or neutered for health reasons and is incapable of breeding, or is incapable of breeding, prior to issuance of a license at a lesser fee.

Sec. B31-51. Maximum number of cats or litters thereof.

(a) Unless a permit is obtained for a private kennel, commercial kennel, animal menagerie, or animal shelter, on parcels of less than five acres, the maximum number of cats or litters shall be five cats over four months of age and the parturition, rearing or harboring of not more than one litter of kittens per calendar year. In addition, of the animals legally permitted on the property, not more than one female cat may be unspayed. A female cat shall be rebuttably presumed to be unspayed unless the owner/guardian provides evidence of spaying. Written certification from a licensed veterinarian that an animal cannot be spayed for health reasons or is incapable of breeding shall be deemed a satisfactory substitution for a certificate showing that an animal is spayed.

Sec. B31-56. – License required.

(a) No person shall own/be the guardian of, maintain or board any cat four months of age or older within unincorporated Santa Clara County which has not been licensed pursuant to the provisions of this article, except that:

(1) A County license shall not be required for an animal owned/under the guardianship of or under the control of a nonresident of the County, and which is to be kept in the County less than thirty days.

(2) A County license shall not be required for cats temporarily brought into the County for entry into an event, show or exhibition scheduled not more than ten days thereafter.

(3) A County license shall not be required for each cat in a cat colony that has been properly registered pursuant to Section B31-53.

Sec. B31-57. – License fees.

(a) Cat license fees for each cat within the county, including reduced fees for spayed females or neutered males, shall be fixed by resolution by the Board of Supervisors. The resolution shall include an additional fee for a license purchased under Section B31-56 of this Code.

(b) The Manager may require the submission of a certificate of a licensed veterinarian stating that a cat has been spayed or neutered, or cannot be spayed or neutered for health reasons and is incapable of breeding, or is incapable of breeding, prior to issuance of a license at a lesser fee.

(c) The Manager may waive the license fee for only one spayed or neutered cat kept in a household where the owner/guardian of the cat is over the age of sixty-five years.