Chapter 2 - Special Provisions Applicable to Counties With a Population of Less Than 100,000 Persons

California Food and Agricultural Code — §§ 31760-31765

Sections (7)

Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 747, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1999. Operative January 1, 2000, by Sec. 9 of Ch. 747.

(a)This chapter only applies to a county that has a population of less than 100,000 persons as of January 1, 2000, and to cities within that county. A county whose population exceeds 100,000 persons in a year subsequent to January 1, 2000, shall be subject to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 31751) commencing on January 1 of the year immediately following the year in which the population of that county exceeds 100,000 persons.

(b)Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group shall sell or give away any cat that has not been spayed or neutered.

(c)A public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group may not transfer to a new owner a cat that has not been spayed or neutered, except as provided in subdivision (d).

(d)A public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group may transfer to a new owner a cat that has not been spayed or neutered only if the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group does both of the following:

(1)Requires a written agreement, executed by the recipient, acknowledging the cat is not spayed or neutered and the recipient agrees in writing to be responsible for ensuring the cat will be spayed or neutered within 30 business days after the agreement is signed.

(2)Receives from the recipient a sterilization deposit of not less than forty dollars ($40) and not more than seventy-five dollars ($75), the terms of which are part of the written agreement executed by the recipient under this section.

(e)Public animal control agencies or shelters, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelters, humane society shelters, and rescue groups may enter into cooperative agreements with each other and with veterinarians in lieu of requiring spaying and neutering deposits to carry out this section.

§ 31761

Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 747, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1999. Operative January 1, 2000, by Sec. 9 of Ch. 747.

(a)A spaying or neutering deposit may be either of the following:

(1)A portion of the adoption fee or other fees rendered in acquiring the cat, which will enable the adopter to take the cat for spaying or neutering to a veterinarian with whom the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group has an agreement that provides that the veterinarian will bill the shelter directly for the sterilization.

(2)A deposit that is both of the following:

(A)Refundable to the recipient if proof of spaying or neutering of the cat is presented to the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group not more than 30 business days after the date the cat is spayed or neutered.

(B)Forfeited to the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group if proof of spaying or neutering is not presented to the animal shelter within 30 business days.

(b)Deposits shall be in the amount determined by the shelter, but shall not be less than forty dollars ($40) and shall not exceed seventy-five dollars ($75).

(c)All spaying or neutering deposits forfeited or unclaimed under this section shall be retained by the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group and shall be used by the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group only for the following purposes:

(1)A program to spay or neuter dogs and cats.

(2)A public education program to reduce and prevent overpopulation of dogs and cats, and the related costs to local government.

(3)A followup program to ensure that dogs and cats transferred by the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group are spayed or neutered in accordance with the agreement executed under subdivision (d) of Section 31760.

(4)Any additional costs incurred by the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group in the administration of the requirements of this chapter.

§ 31762

Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 747, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1999. Operative January 1, 2000, by Sec. 9 of Ch. 747.

(a)(1) If a recipient fails to comply with the spaying or neutering agreement within 30 business days after the agreement is signed, the recipient shall forfeit the sterilization deposit and is subject to a fine pursuant to Section 31763.

(2)An animal control officer, humane officer, police officer, peace officer, or any agency authorized to enforce the Penal Code may write citations with a civil penalty stated in an amount corresponding to the violation as provided in Section 31763. The fines shall be paid to the local municipality or public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group. Any funds collected under this section shall be expended for the purpose of humane education, programs for low cost spaying and neutering of cats and any additional costs incurred by the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group in the administration of the requirements of this chapter. This subdivision is applicable within any county.

(3)If the owner, at any time subsequent to 30 business days after the spaying or neutering agreement was signed, provides proof of spaying or neutering, the deposit shall be forfeited, but any fine levied but not yet paid, shall be waived.

(b)A public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group may extend the date by which spaying or neutering is to be completed at its discretion for good cause shown. Any extension shall be in writing.

(c)If a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state certifies that a cat is too sick or injured to be spayed or neutered, or that it would otherwise be detrimental to the health of the cat to be spayed or neutered, the adopter or purchaser shall pay the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group a deposit of not less than forty dollars ($40), and not more than seventy-five dollars ($75). The entity shall establish the amount of the deposit at the level it determines is necessary to encourage the spaying or neutering of cats. The deposit shall be temporary, and shall be retained only until the cat is healthy enough to be spayed or neutered as certified by a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state. The cat shall be spayed or neutered within 14 business days of that certification. The adopter or purchaser shall obtain written proof of spaying or neutering from the veterinarian performing the operation. If the adopter or purchaser presents proof of spaying or neutering to the entity from which the cat was obtained within 30 business days, the adopter or purchaser shall receive a full refund of the deposit.

(d)If an adopted cat dies within the spaying or neutering period provided for in the written agreement pursuant to Section 31760, subdivision (c) shall not apply to the cat. In that case, the recipient may receive a reimbursement of the sterilization deposit by submitting to the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group within the sterilization period a signed letter from a veterinarian licensed to practice medicine in this state stating that the animal has died. The letter shall include a description of the cat.

§ 31763

Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 747, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1999. Operative January 1, 2000, by Sec. 9 of Ch. 747.

(a)(1) A person who commits any violation of subdivision (b) is subject to a civil penalty of not less than fifty dollars ($50) on a first violation of subdivision (b), and a civil penalty of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) on any second or subsequent violation of subdivision (b).

(2)An action for a penalty proposed under this section may be commenced by the administrator of the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group from which the recipient obtained the animal that is the subject of the violation in a court of competent jurisdiction.

(b)A person is subject to the civil penalties pursuant to subdivision (a) if that person does any of the following:

(1)Falsifies any proof of spaying or neutering submitted for the purpose of compliance with this chapter.

(2)Provides to a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group or a licensed veterinarian inaccurate information regarding ownership of any cat required to be submitted for spaying or neutering under this chapter.

(3)Submits to a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group false information regarding sterilization fees or fee schedules.

(4)Issues a check for insufficient funds for any spaying or neutering deposit required under this chapter.

(c)All penalties collected under this section shall be retained by the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group imposing the penalties, to be used solely for purposes provided for under subdivision (c) of Section 31761.

§ 31764

Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 747, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1999. Operative January 1, 2000, by Sec. 9 of Ch. 747.

Local ordinances concerning the adoption or placement procedures of any animal shelter shall be at least as restrictive as this chapter.

§ 31764.5

Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 205, Sec. 5. (SB 245) Effective January 1, 2020.

(a)A public animal shelter shall not charge an adoption fee for a cat if the person adopting the cat presents to the public animal shelter a current and valid driver’s license or identification card with the word “VETERAN” printed on its face pursuant to Section 12811 of the Vehicle Code.

(b)A public animal

shelter may limit the number of cats adopted from that public animal shelter pursuant to this section to one cat each six-month period.

§ 31765

Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 747, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1999. Operative January 1, 2000, by Sec. 9 of Ch. 747.

Whenever a county, or a city that is within a county to which this chapter applies, requires cat license tags, the tag shall be issued for one-half or less of the fee required for a cat, if a certificate is presented from a licensed veterinarian that the cat has been spayed or neutered.