Kings County Municipal Code Art. II Dog and Cat Control

The board of supervisors hereby finds and declares that a program for the mandatory spaying or neutering of dogs and cats in the County of Kings, along with a licensing and certification structure designed to manage the unaltered dogs and cats owned in the county is a reasonable and effective means of reducing the population of homeless dogs and cats in the County of Kings.

No person may own or harbor a dog or cat over the age of four months in violation of this section. All unaltered dogs or cats must be spayed or neutered or, in the case of an unaltered dog, be licensed in accordance with section 4-38.

Any person who owns or harbors a dog or cat which is unable to be spayed or neutered without a high likelihood of suffering serious bodily harm or death due to age, infirmity, or a medical condition, must obtain written verification of the inability from a licensed veterinarian. The writing must state whether the inability is permanent or temporary and, if temporary, when the dog or cat may be spayed or neutered in the future.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

Every person, excluding rescue groups as defined under section 4-3, who owns, harbors, or keeps any dog in the county over the age of four months for 30 days or longer shall, under the provisions of this chapter, obtain a license receipt and a license tag stamped with the license number and the name of the County of Kings. The license tag obtained shall be worn by the dog at all times except as provided in section 4-23. Any dog found without a current license tag may be taken up and impounded by the animal control officer or any peace officer.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

A dog license shall be issued free of charge in the following instances:

(1) When the license is for a public service/military dog as defined in section 4-3; and

(2) When the license is for a dog which will be used as a service dog as defined in section 4-3. An affidavit attesting to the fact that the dog will be used as a service dog shall be given to the animal control officer issuing the license.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

The license tag need not be worn by the dog when the dog is contained within an enclosure on the premises of an animal hospital, or licensed kennel, or rescue group as defined in section 4-3, or when the dog is participating in or training for sporting events, field trials, obedience classes, dog shows or herding livestock, providing such dog is not allowed to run at large.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

The dog license required by this chapter may be obtained by submitting a current rabies vaccination certificate, submitting proof that the dog has been spayed or neutered, providing the required information and paying the proper fee to the animal control officer. The information required for a license shall include the dog's breed, age, sex, color, rabies vaccination certificate number, date of issuance and expiration date, and the name, address and telephone number of the owner. The officer shall record the information on the receipt to be given for payment of the license fee. The expiration date of the rabies vaccination shall be recorded on the receipt. The license fee shall be paid at the time the application is made.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

The license period for the license tag required by this chapter shall be in compliance with Food and Agriculture Code section 30801.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

As to any dog not currently licensed in Kings County, the application process in section 4-24 or section 4-38 shall be completed within 30 days after it is brought into the county, or when such dog attains the age of four months, whichever is later. For a dog currently licensed in Kings County, the application process in section 4-24 or section 4-38 shall be completed on or before the expiration date on the license receipt. Any person purchasing a license shall do so within 30 days after any applicable due date as set forth above.

Any person purchasing a license more than 30 days after any applicable due date shall be charged the late licensing penalty which shall be 100 percent of the regular one-year license fee, in addition to any other regular license fee.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

Upon compliance with the process in section 4-24 or section 4-38, a license tag and a written receipt shall be issued to the owner or applicant. Each tag shall be serially numbered and stamped. The expiration date shall be noted on the license receipt. The animal control officer shall record the number of the license tag on a copy of the receipt, and all copies shall be kept on file in the office of the animal control officer, open to public inspection at reasonable times. The tag shall be attached to a collar, harness, or other device permanently worn by the dog except as provided in section 4-23.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

Every person who counterfeits a dog license tag, or who attaches a license tag issued under the provisions of this chapter to any dog other than the one for which such a tag was issued, or who obtains a dog license, multiple animal permit, or kennel permit and in doing so, states as true any material matters which he knows to be false, is guilty of an infraction.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

Every person who owns, manages, or operates a kennel housing ten or more altered dogs or cats shall obtain a multiple animal permit.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

The permit required by this article may be obtained by completing a written application on forms provided by the animal control officer. The information required for the application is the name and address and location of the kennel, the name or names of the persons or responsible corporate officers of a corporation owning, managing or operating such kennel, the number of animals that can be properly housed within the kennel, and the purpose or purposes for which the animals are kept, (i.e., boarding, etc.) and any other information requested by the animal control officer. Each application shall also include a letter of compliance issued by the appropriate local building and planning official indicating conformity with the provisions of zoning and building ordinances of the county. Prior to the issuance of a permit, every kennel must be inspected by the animal control officer.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

Application for a multiple animal permit shall be accompanied by the nonrefundable annual fee which is in addition to any other permit license fee otherwise required. Upon approval of the application by the animal control officer, the applicant shall be granted a multiple animal permit. The permit shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance.

Renewal of the permit shall be made upon application, approval and payment of the fee in the manner provided for the issuance of an original multiple animal permit. The application and fee required by this section shall be due and payable on or before the expiration date of the current permit. Any person purchasing a multiple animal permit after the due date shall be charged a 50 percent late fee which shall be paid in addition to the regular permit fee.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

An up-to-date rabies vaccination certificate for each cat or dog and an individual license for each dog in the kennel above the age of four months shall be kept on file for inspection at the kennel.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

The requirements of this article shall be deemed to be in addition to, and not in limitation of, the requirement of any applicable zoning laws or ordinances. A multiple animal permit issued under the provisions of this article shall cease to be valid if the operation of a kennel should become a prohibited use for the zone in which it is then located.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

An owner of an unaltered dog over the age of four months must obtain an annual unaltered dog license for the dog. The license shall be issued if the animal control officer has determined that all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The dog is one of the following: a competition dog; a public service/military dog, a service dog as defined in section 4-3, or a dog which is unable to be spayed or neutered as set forth in section 4-20, subdivision (c);

(2) The owner has submitted the required application and has paid the fee as set by the board of supervisors; and

(3) The unaltered dog shall be confined upon the owner's property in a suitable housing facility or enclosure that prevents the dog from running at large.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

The animal control officer may deny or revoke an unaltered dog license for one or more of the following reasons:

(1) The applicant or licensee is not in compliance with the requirements of section 4-38;

(2) The applicant or licensee has been previously cited for violating a state law, county ordinance or code, or any other statute or regulation relating to the care and control of animals;

(3) The unaltered dog has been adjudicated by a court or an agency of appropriate jurisdiction to be a potentially dangerous or vicious dog or to be a nuisance within the meaning of the Kings County Code of Ordinances or under state law;

(4) Any unaltered dog license held by the applicant or licensee has been previously revoked;

(5) A female unaltered dog has had more than one litter per year, or five or more litters in her lifetime; or

(6) The license application is discovered to contain a material misrepresentation of fact.

If the unaltered dog license is denied or revoked, the owner must comply with section 4-24 and obtain an altered dog license.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

An owner who offers any unaltered dog for sale, transfer, or adoption must include a valid unaltered dog license number with the offer of the sale, transfer, or adoption. Subsequent to the sale, transfer, or adoption of the unaltered dog, the new owner, if a resident of the County of Kings, shall have 30 days to apply for a new unaltered dog license or spay or neuter the dog in accordance with this article and obtain a license as provided in section 4-24.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

Every person who owns, manages, or operates a kennel housing ten or more unaltered dogs or cats shall obtain a kennel permit.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

The permit required by this article may be obtained by completing a written application on forms provided by the animal control officer. The information required for the application is the name and address and location of the kennel, the name or names of the persons or responsible corporate officers of a corporation owning, managing or operating such kennel, the number of animals that can be properly housed within the kennel, and the purpose or purposes for which the animals are kept, (i.e., breeding, boarding, etc.) and any other information requested by the animal control officer. Each application shall also include a letter of compliance issued by the appropriate local building and planning official indicating conformity with the provisions of zoning and building ordinances of the county. Prior to the issuance of a permit, every kennel must be inspected by the animal control officer.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

Application for a kennel permit shall be accompanied by the nonrefundable annual fee which is in addition to any other permit license fee otherwise required. Upon approval of the application by the animal control officer, the applicant shall be granted a kennel permit. The permit shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance.

Renewal of the permit shall be made upon application, approval and payment of the fee in the manner provided for the issuance of an original kennel permit. The application and fee required by this section shall be due and payable on or before the expiration date of the current permit. Any person purchasing a kennel permit after the due date shall be charged a 50 percent late fee which shall be paid in addition to the regular kennel permit fee.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

An up-to-date rabies vaccination certificate for each cat or dog and an individual license for each dog in the kennel above the age of four months shall be kept on file for inspection at the kennel.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

The requirements of this article shall be deemed to be in addition to, and not in limitation of, the requirement of any applicable zoning laws or ordinances. A kennel permit issued under the provisions of this article shall cease to be valid if the operation of a kennel should become a prohibited use for the zone in which it is then located.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

It is unlawful for any person to breed dogs and/or cats for sale or profit or to advertise for the sale or adoption of such animals without first obtaining a breeder permit. The fees for a breeder permit shall be set by the board of supervisors and shall be paid to the animal control officer.

To obtain a permit, the breeder may not sell or adopt any offspring until eight weeks of age and each has been vaccinated against common diseases. The breeder must list the permit number when advertising offspring for sale or adoption, must list the permit number as part of the sale or adoption paperwork, and must disclose the permit number to all potential purchasers or adopters of offspring.

It is unlawful for any person to advertise for the sale or adoption of any offspring of dogs and/or cats without including in the advertisement a breeder permit number.

A breeder permit shall be in addition to any other requirements and conditions set forth in the county ordinances.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)

Any dog or cat in the county shall be implanted with an identifying microchip. The owner is required to provide the microchip number to the animal control officer and shall notify the animal control officer and the national registry applicable to the implanted chip of any change of ownership of the dog or cat or any change in the owner's contact information.

Upon adoption or redemption of a dog or cat from the animal shelter, the owner shall comply with this section and have the dog or cat implanted with a microchip.

(Ord. No. 672, § 2, 6-30-15)