Sonoma County, California

Sec. 5-43. – Application for license.

Application for a dog license shall be made in writing to the director by the owner of the dog to be licensed. Such application shall be on a form approved by the director and shall be accompanied by a license fee, the amount of which shall be established pursuant to Section 5-4. Such license fee shall be waived for assistance dogs owned and used by totally or partially blind persons, deaf or hearing impaired persons, or other disabled persons, and for dogs owned and used by police departments or law enforcement officers exclusively for police work if all other requirements for licensing under this article are met. Such license fee may include a reduced rate for spayed or neutered dogs and for dogs owned by persons sixty-two (62) years of age or older if all other requirements for licensing under this article are met. The director shall require such proof of qualification as the director deems necessary prior to waiving or reducing the license fee for any dog. If the owner of any dog fails to make application for a dog license within thirty (30) days after their dog is vaccinated for rabies, or receipt of notice from the director to obtain a license, such owner shall pay a penalty for late licensing, the amount of which shall be established pursuant to Section 5-4, in addition to the license fee required in this section.

Sec. 5-62. – Application for registration.

Application for registration of a cat shall be made in writing to the director by the owner of the cat to be registered. Such application shall be on a form approved by the director and shall be accompanied by a registration fee, the amount of which shall be established pursuant to Section 5-4. If all other requirements for licensing under this article are met, such registration fee may be waived or reduced for spayed or neutered cats and for cats owned by persons sixty-two (62) years of age or older. The director shall require such proof of qualification as the director deems necessary prior to waiving or reducing the registration fee for any cat.

Sec. 5-67. – Cats spay/neuter required if impounded.

(a) The owner of any impounded cat shall pay any penalties/fees imposed pursuant to Section 5-4. If the cat has not been spayed or neutered, the owner shall, prior to the cat’s release, have the cat spayed or neutered at the shelter and pay the surgery fee established pursuant to Section 5-4, unless the cat cannot be spayed or neutered due to a medical condition or because it is incapable of breeding.

(b) Regardless of the above, an owner may take the cat to a licensed veterinarian of the owner’s choice, if the owner pays a deposit equal to the spay neuter surgery fee. If a deposit is collected, the owner shall provide documentation that the cat was spayed or neutered to the director within two (2) weeks after the cat is released. The deposit will then be refunded.

Sec. 5-151. – Disposition of impounded animals.

(a) Any impounded animal, except livestock, which is not redeemed within the holding period specified in this article may, at the discretion of the director, be put up for adoption or humanely destroyed by the division. If an impounded animal is put up for adoption, such animal may be adopted by any qualified person upon submission of an application and payment of an adoption fee, the amount of which shall be established pursuant to Section 5-4. If such animal is subject to licensure under this chapter, the person adopting the animal shall, prior to the animal’s release, comply with the licensing requirements for the animal. If such animal is a dog or cat which has not been previously spayed or neutered, such dog or cat shall be spayed or neutered. The person adopting such dog or cat shall, prior to such dog or cat’s release, provide a spaying or neutering deposit, the amount of which shall be established pursuant to Section 5-4. The director shall designate on such dog or cat’s adoption papers the date by which the spaying or neutering shall be completed. Upon receipt of a notice from a veterinarian or spaying and neutering clinic that such dog or cat has been spayed or neutered, the director shall return the deposit to the person who adopted such dog or cat. If no such notice is received by the director within thirty (30) days after the completion date designated on such dog or cat’s adoption papers, the deposit shall be forfeited to the county and the person who adopted such dog or cat may be cited for violation of this section and such dog or cat may be seized and impounded.

Sec. 5-170. – Mandatory spay and neutering for all dogs at large.

Except as provided in subsections (a)-(g) below, all owners cited for dogs running at large for violation of Section 5-115 shall have their dog spayed and neutered at the owner’s expense.

(a) Dogs documented as having been appropriately trained and actually being used by public law enforcement agencies for law enforcement activities, or such dogs designated as breeding stock by an appropriate agency or organization approved by the director after consultation with knowledgeable professionals;

(b) Dogs documented as having been appropriately trained and actually being used as an assistance dog, such as a service dog, guide dog, signal dog, or social dog, or such dogs designated as breeding stock by an appropriate agency or organization approved by the director after consultation with knowledgeable professionals;

(c) Dogs documented as having been appropriately trained and actually being used by search and rescue agencies for search and rescue activities, or such dogs designated as breeding stock by an appropriate agency or organization approved by the director after consultation with knowledgeable professionals;

(d) Dogs certified by a licensed veterinarian as having a health reason for not being spayed/neutered;

(e) Dogs which are appropriately trained and actually being used for herding of other animals, or as livestock guardian dogs, hunting dogs, or such dogs, designated as breeding stock by an appropriate agency or organization approved by the director after consultation with knowledgeable professionals;

(f) Dogs boarded in a licensed kennel or a business, which boards such animals for professional training or resale;

(g) Dogs which are registered with the American Kennel Club, United Kingdom Kennel Club, and/or American Dog Breeders Association Incorporated and trained and kept for the purpose of show, field trials and agility trials.

Sec. 5-171. – Mandatory spay and neutering of all pit bulls.

No person shall own, harbor or keep within the unincorporated area of this county, a pit bull over the age of four months, which has not been spayed or neutered, except as provided in Section 5-170 (a)-(g), above.