Laguna Niguel Municipal Code Art. 4 Dog Licensing; Animal Permit

(a) Every person owning or having custody of any dog four months of age or older shall procure for the dog a city dog license. Such license shall be procured within 15 days after the date on which it becomes due. The following are exceptions to the requirement for a license:

(1) A dog brought into the city for show or other purposes and which leaves within 30 days; and

(2) A dog maintained in an approved research institution or licensed kennel, provided the dog is owned by the owner or operator of the research institution or kennel.

(b) Guard (sentry) dogs are not excepted. Each such guard (sentry) dog must be individually licensed, and each dog shall wear its city license tag securely fastened to a collar or harness, whether or not the dog is kenneled in the city.

(c) No dog shall be licensed without proof of approved rabies vaccination. No license may expire later than the expiration date of the rabies vaccination. An owner may purchase a license for six or 12 months, depending upon the date and kind of vaccine used, upon payment of the fee established by resolution of the city council.

(Ord. No. 2022-215, § 3, 6-7-22)

(a) Each dog required to be licensed shall wear at all times the current license tag assigned to that dog, except when the dog is:

(1) Physically confined within the premises of the owner or other person authorized to have custody;

(2) Confined in a vehicle or cage;

(3) Participating in any dog exhibition, field trial or competition; or

(4) Confined in a licensed kennel or veterinary hospital, in which case the license tag number shall be recorded and placed nearby so that it is readily identifiable with the dog to which it belongs, or, if not licensed, that fact shall be clearly indicated on the facility's records.

(b) A license tag shall not be removed from any dog without the consent of the owner thereof.

(Ord. No. 2022-215, § 3, 6-7-22)

Licenses required by this article not purchased or renewed within 60 days after expiration, or the date on which they become due, shall be considered delinquent, and a late fee shall be added to the cost of the new license. The director may waive the late fee if he determines the applicant made a reasonable effort to comply with the deadline specified in this section.

(Ord. No. 2022-215, § 3, 6-7-22)

Upon the transfer of ownership of any licensed dog, the license may be transferred to the new owner provided that the director is notified within 15 days, in writing, of such transfer of ownership, and the name and address of the new owner is provided.

(Ord. No. 2022-215, § 3, 6-7-22)

No person shall make use of or have in his possession or under his control a stolen, counterfeit or forged dog license receipt, dog license tag, rabies vaccination certificate, antirabies inoculation deferment form or other form issued in accordance with this division.

(Ord. No. 2022-215, § 3, 6-7-22)

Every person shall, upon demand by the director, exhibit any current rabies vaccination certificate or dog license tag issued to such person pursuant to this division.

(Ord. No. 2022-215, § 3, 6-7-22)

Each household having custody of four or more dogs or four or more cats, over the age of four months, for the purpose as described in 10-2-400 must obtain the necessary additional animal license required under section 10-2-309 for each animal.

(Ord. No. 2022-215, § 3, 6-7-22)