Contra Costa County Municipal Code Art. 416-6.6 Reserved

(a) Every person owning, possessing, harboring, or having custody of any dog over four months old shall annually obtain a license and pay a license fee.

(b) Every such person shall obtain a license within thirty days after a dog reaches the age of four months.

(c) Every such person shall obtain a license within thirty days after acquiring a dog over four months old.

(d) Any added late fee shall be charged for late licensing.

(e) Any person may voluntarily license any domestic cat subject to proper application and payment of the required license fee.

(f) Any person who transfers any licensed dog or cat to another person and any person who acquires a licensed dog or cat must give written notice of the name and address of the person to whom possession is transferred and of the person acquiring such animal, and the license tag number, to the animal services department within thirty days.

(g) No person shall own, possess, harbor, or keep any dog over four months old without a license for which all fees have been paid; but this does not apply during the thirty-day grace period under subsections (b) and (c) of this section.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

(a) Nonresidents. The provisions of this article shall not apply to dogs or cats whose owners are nonresidents temporarily within the county for thirty days or less, nor to dogs or cats brought into the county to participate in any dog or cat show or field trial.

(b) Individuals With Disabilities. Dogs being raised, trained and used to aid individuals with disabilities shall be licensed without fee.

(c) Government. Dogs owned or used by the county, municipal corporations, or other public agencies shall be licensed without fee.

(Ord. No. 2016-02, § II, 1-12-16; Ord. 80-97 § 2).

The licensing authority shall issue dog or cat license tags, stamped or imprinted with the name of the county of Contra Costa and an identification number.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

(a) Application for dog or cat licenses shall be made in writing to the licensing agency on forms approved by the licensing agency, and shall include for each animal: name and address of owner; age, sex, color, breed, and description of the animal; and current rabies certificate issued by an authorized veterinarian. In addition, the applicant shall certify to receipt of a copy of Article 416-4.4 of this division.

(b) Tag Numbers. The licensing authority shall enter on the application the number of the license tag issued. All applications shall be kept on file in an office of the licensing authority, open to public inspection during the term of the licenses applied for.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

Whenever a license tag has been lost or destroyed, a duplicate shall be issued by the licensing authority upon payment of the established fee.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

(a) Licenses are valid for time periods specified by the board of supervisors.

(b) License fees are due and payable at times specified by the board of supervisors.

(c) Late fees accrue if a license fee is not paid within thirty days after it is due and payable.

(Ord. No. 2019-32, § II, 11-19-19; Ord. 80-97 § 2).

License fees, late fees and replacement fees shall be established by resolution of the board of supervisors.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

No person may use any license for any animal other than the animal for which it was issued.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

Article 416-6.2. Multiple Pet Licenses

(a) No more than three dogs and no more than five cats over six months of age, may be kept, harbored, possessed or maintained for more than thirty days in a single dwelling or business unit without a multiple pet license in an area zoned for uses other than agriculture.

(b) No more than twenty dogs and no more than twenty cats over six months of age, and no dogs or cats for commercial purposes may be kept, harbored, possessed or maintained in any single dwelling or business unit without a kennel license. Commercial purposes shall include but not be limited to: boarding, training, or wholesaling of animals; but, shall not be construed to mean the sale of individual animals to private owners.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

(a) Application for a multiple pet license shall include an application fee and shall be made in writing to the animal services director, who shall issue the license when the application is approved.

(b) Application for a kennel license shall include an application fee and shall be made in writing to the director of planning, who shall issue the license jointly with the animal services director if the application is approved.

(c) The director of planning and the animal services director may jointly or severally promulgate regulations governing the application for, and issuance of, kennel licenses.

(d) Applications for multiple pet licenses or kennel licenses shall show that the following conditions have been met:

(1) Facilities exist at the location to adequately secure, feed, house and maintain the animals;

(2) Possession and maintenance of the animals at the location has not resulted in, and is not likely to result in the animals being subjected to neglect, suffering, cruelty or abuse;

(3) Neither the applicant, the owner, nor the possessor of the animals has had a county license revoked, or been convicted for a violation of this division or any law regulating animals within one year;

(4) All dogs maintained under a multiple pet license shall be confined on the premises and shall be enclosed in a secure shelter during the hours of darkness, except when they are shown, exercised, tried, worked, hunted, or trained under the owner's control.

The required showing may be made by declaration under penalty of perjury.

(e) Each application for a multiple pet license or kennel license must list every dog to be included. An updated list shall be submitted to the animal services director upon application for a renewal of a multiple pet license. Each application must also include a current rabies immunization certificate issued by an authorized veterinarian for every dog listed.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

(a) At the receipt of a complete application for a multiple pet license, the animal services director may investigate the application including investigation of the premises at which the animals will be kept prior to the approval of the application.

(b) In the case of kennels, after receipt of a complete application the animal services director or the director of planning may investigate the application including the premises on which the kennel will be operating, and shall ascertain that the kennel is authorized by a land use permit prior to approval of the application.

(c) The animal services director or the director of planning may require such information pertinent to the keeping of the animals from an applicant as they deem necessary with respect to their action on a multiple pet or kennel license application or renewal application.

(d) The animal services director or the director of planning may impose conditions on the approval or renewal of any multiple pet or kennel license. Such conditions must be in writing and must serve animals, or the public health, welfare, convenience or necessity.

(e) Prior to the denial of any multiple pet license or renewal thereof, or any approval to which conditions are attached, the animal services director shall notify the applicant in writing of the intended action. Any conditions to be attached to an approval or renewal shall be specified in the notice. The applicant, in writing, may request a hearing before the animal services director within five days after receipt of such notice if the applicant wishes to contest a decision of denial or approval with conditions. If the applicant requests a hearing, the animal services director shall give the applicant no less than five days' notice, in writing, of the time and place of such hearing, by mail. After hearing, the animal services director shall determine whether the license should be issued, issued subject to conditions, or denied.

(f) A multiple pet license shall be renewed without review upon the filing of a complete application and payment of the necessary fees unless renewal has been protested or the animal services department has received or lodged two or more complaints concerning the licensed location within the last year.

(Ord. No. 2024-23, § III(Exh. A), 12-3-24; Ord. 80-97 § 2).

Multiple pet licenses and kennel licenses shall be valid for such periods not less than one year, and the license fees shall become due and payable at such times, as shall be determined by resolution of the board of supervisors.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

Multiple pet license fees, kennel license fees, application fees, and late license fees shall be established by resolution of the board of supervisors. Separate fee schedules may be established for dog enthusiasts or cat fanciers.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

Multiple pet license fees and kennel license fees shall not be charged to veterinary hospitals, except when such hospitals offer boarding or breeding services separately from veterinary medical services.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

(a) Late fees accrue if a person does not obtain a multiple pet license or a kennel license within thirty days after keeping, harboring, possessing, or maintaining animals in excess of the numbers specified in this article.

(b) Late fees accrue if a renewal license is not paid within thirty days after it is due and payable.

(Ord. No. 2019-32, § III; 11-19-19; Ord. 80-97 § 2).

Any dog for which a license is required and which is covered under a multiple pet or kennel license, which is removed for more than one day from the licensed premises, shall wear its current, valid license tag unless performing in the capacity of hunting, working, obedience, tracking or showing.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

(a) No person, except as provided below, shall allow the parturition and rearing of more than one litter of dogs and one litter of cats in any one calendar year.

(b) Persons holding multiple pet or kennel licenses may allow the parturition and rearing of no more than one litter per female dog registered by a nationally recognized dog registering body and one litter per female cat registered by a nationally recognized cat registering body, in any one calendar year.

(Ord. No. 2024-23, § III(Exh. A), 12-3-24; Ord. 80-97 § 2).

Persons holding dog fancier licenses or commercial kennel licenses on the effective date of Ordinance 80-97 are entitled to a multiple pet license, and persons holding a commercial kennel license on the effective date of Ordinance 80-97 are entitled to a kennel license, without prior approval, upon filing complete application documents and tendering the required fees.

(Ords. 83-10 § 3, 80-97 § 2).

Article 416-6.4. License Revocation

(a) A license may be revoked by the animal services director on one or more of the following grounds:

(1) Falsification of facts in the license application;

(2) Violation of any provisions of this division or any California state law, statute, rule, order or regulation governing the activity for which the license was issued;

(3) Conviction of cruelty to animals in this or any other state;

(4) Failure to meet and maintain the conditions of the license;

(5) Inhumane and/or cruel treatment of animals;

(6) Violations of health and sanitation codes.

(b) Prior to revocation of a license, the animal services director shall hold a public hearing to determine whether the grounds described in subsection (a) of this section exist.

(c) At least ten days prior to hearing the animal services director shall mail or otherwise deliver to the possessor of the animals a notice containing a statement of the charges supporting license revocation and/or impoundment and notice of the time and place of hearing before the animal services director as to the truth of the charges.

(d) If the animal services director determines, after hearing, that charges supporting such action are true, the animal services director may revoke the license and may impound any animals covered under such license.

(e) On revocation of license, if the cause is not inhumane treatment of animals or violation of health and sanitation codes, the owner of the license so revoked shall have a sixty-day grace period prior to the effective date or revocation to attempt to find new adoptive owners for the animals involved.

(f) If a license has been denied or revoked for cause, the animal services director shall not accept a new application by the same person less than twelve months after such denial or revocation unless the applicant affirmatively shows, and has verified by the animal services director, that the grounds upon which the first license or application was denied or revoked no longer exist.

(g) On revocation of license, no part of the license fee shall be refunded.

(h) Evidence must be relevant, noncumulative, and of such nature as responsible persons are accustomed to rely on in the conduct of serious affairs. Written statements by a county officer or employee, an officer or employee of the state, or an officer or employee of any law enforcement or fire protection agency acting in the course and scope of their official duties or employment, written records of the animal services department, and statements under penalty of perjury may be accepted as evidence that the fact(s) or condition(s) expressed therein do or do not exist.

(Ord. No. 2024-23, § III(Exh. A), 12-3-24; Ords. 83-10 § 4, 80-97 § 2).

For the sole purposes of determining inhumane treatment of animals and/or violations of state and local health and sanitation laws, the animal services director, upon reasonable notice and having in the animal services director's possession a search warrant, shall be permitted to inspect all animals, and the premises so specified in said search warrant at which any such animal(s) are kept, harbored, possessed or maintained.

(Ord. No. 2024-23, § III(Exh. A), 12-3-24; Ord. 80-97 § 2).

(a) The animal services director may require any person owning, possessing, harboring, or controlling any animal for which a license or permit is required under Division 416 to produce any required license, permit, or certificate of rabies vaccination for inspection.

(b) Any person subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section who fails to produce a required license, permit, or certificate of rabies vaccination for inspection by the animal services director after a demand for inspection, is in violation of this Ordinance Code.

(Ord. 80-97 § 2).

Article 416-6.6 Reserved

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2017-12, § II, adopted June 6, 2017, repealed art. 416-6.6, §§ 416-6.600—416-6.16, in its entirety. Former art. 416-6.6 pertained to "Administrative Penalties," and was derived from Ord. No. 2014-14, § II, adopted September 23, 2014.