CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY BILL No. 1634

May 31, 2007 Amendments

May 9, 2007 Amendments

April 9, 2007 Amendments

April 17, 2007 Amendments

 

May 16, 2007                            
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS                                    
Mark Leno, Chair



AB 1634 (Levine) - As Amended:  May 9, 2007



SUMMARY  

This bill requires all cats and dogs to be spayed or neutered,  

with specified exceptions, and establishes civil penalties for  

non-compliance. Specifically, this bill:

1)Requires that all cats and dogs over four months of age be  

spayed or neutered unless the owner obtains an annual permit  

from a local jurisdiction or animal control agency.

2)Subjects a cat or dog owner to a civil penalty of $500 for  

each animal in violation of (1), unless the owner provides a  

letter from a licensed veterinarian that it is unsafe to spay  

or neuter their animal and the animal will be spayed or  

neutered within 75 days of reaching four months of age.

3)Requires the local enforcement agency to issue a permit, and  

thus allow an owner to avoid spaying or neutering their cat or  

dog, if the owner meets  any  of the following conditions: 

a)   Demonstrates they are licensed as a breeder within the  

local jurisdiction. 

b)   Demonstrates that their cat or dog is a valid breed  

recognized by an approved registry or association and  

complies with at least one of the following:

i)     The animal has been shown or competed in at least  

one legitimate show or sporting competition hosted under  

the approval of a recognized registry within the last two  

years or is being trained to compete.

ii)    The animal has earned, or is in process of earning,  

a conformation, obedience, agility, carting, herding,  

protection, rally, sporting, working, or other title from  

a purebred registry or association. 

c)   Provides proof that the dog is being trained for, or has  

been trained as a guide dog, service dog, or signal dog, or  

for law enforcement or rescue activities. 

d)   Provides a letter from a licensed veterinarian that it  

is unsafe to spay or neuter due to age, poor health, or  

illness.

4)Requires the amount of the permit fee to be determined by the  

local enforcement agency as necessary to administer the permit  

program. The fee must be waived for animals meeting the  

requirements of (3)(c) and authorizes waiving all or part of  

the fee for animals meeting the requirements of (3)(d).

5)Exempts a non-resident owner who brings their cat or dog into  

the state from the permit requirements if they provide proof  

that their animal is temporarily in California for training,  

showing, or any other legitimate reason.

6)Requires the local animal control agency to conduct outreach  

in connection with all of the above, and to the extent funding  

is available, to establish free and low-cost spaying and  

neutering programs for cats and dogs owned by low-income  

persons.

7)Requires revenue from civil penalties to be used for  

enforcement, administration, and program outreach, and  

authorizes local animal control agencies to establish the free  

and low-cost spaying and neutering programs.

 

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