Solano County, California

4-180 Spaying and neutering of animals adopted from the Solano County Animal Shelter

(a)    No person adopting, purchasing, or rescuing a dog or cat from the Solano County Animal Shelter shall allow the dog or cat to go unspayed or unneutered.

(b)    Any person adopting, purchasing, or rescuing a dog or cat from the shelter shall make an appointment with a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state, within 14 business days of receiving the dog or cat to determine if the animal is healthy enough to be spayed or neutered.

(c)    All dogs or cats four months of age or older adopted, purchased, or rescued from the shelter will be spayed or neutered within 30 days of the date of adoption, purchase, or rescue. All dogs or cats younger than four (4) months of age adopted, purchased, or rescued from the shelter will be spayed or neutered within 60 days of the adoption, purchase, or rescue.

(d)    The adopter, purchaser, or rescuer shall pay a deposit to the animal shelter as specified by the Board of Supervisors, not to exceed $30.00 for cats and $40.00 for dogs. The deposit shall be retained until the dog or cat is spayed or neutered, and certified as such by a licensed veterinarian.

(e)    The adopter, purchaser, or rescuer shall present proof of spaying or neutering to the Animal Shelter within 30 business days of obtaining certification. The adopter, purchaser, or rescuer shall receive full refund of the deposit after presentation of proof of spaying or neutering.

Section 4-181 shall be the only exception this section.

4-181 Animals too sick or injured to be spayed or neutered

(a)    If a veterinarian with a California license certifies that the dog or cat is too sick or injured to be spayed or neutered, or that it would otherwise be detrimental to the health of the dog or cat to be spayed or neutered, the adopter will be given additional time, as necessary and specified by the veterinarian, to have the dog or cat spayed or neutered.

(b)    The owner shall have the surgery completed within 14 business days of the date the veterinarian indicates the animal will be ready for the surgery. The owner shall present certification of spaying or neutering to the Animal Shelter within this 14-day period. The adopter, purchaser, or rescuer shall receive a full refund of the deposit after presentation of proof of spaying or neutering within the 14-day time period.

4-182 Penalties for failure to spay or neuter animals

(a)    Anyone who adopts, purchases or rescues a dog or cat from the shelter and fails to spay or neuter the dog or cat as required by this article within the time specified, shall be in violation of this chapter of Solano County Code.

(b)    Failure to spay or neuter a dog or cat adopted, purchased, or rescued from the shelter as required by this article may result in any or all of the following: Forfeiture of the spay/neuter deposit, a fine not exceeding $200.00 payable to the Solano County Animal Shelter, and/or forfeiture of the dog or cat.