US City, State & Federal Dog Laws

California Food and Agricultural Code
Division 14. Regulation and Licensing of Dogs

Chapter 3. Dog Tags - Sections 30801-30807

30801.  (a) A board of supervisors may provide for the issuance of
serially numbered metallic dog licenses pursuant to this section.
The dog licenses shall be stamped with the name of the county and the
year of issue.
   (b) The board of supervisors or animal control department may
authorize veterinarians to issue the licenses to owners of dogs that
make application.
   (c) The licenses shall be issued for a period of not to exceed two
years.
   (d) In addition to the authority provided in subdivisions (a),
(b), and (c), a license may be issued, as provided by this section,
by a board of supervisors for a period not to exceed three years for
dogs that have attained the age of 12 months, or older, and who have
been vaccinated against rabies. The person to whom the license is to
be issued pursuant to this subdivision may choose a license period as
established by the board of supervisors of up to one, two, or three
years.  However, when issuing a license pursuant to this subdivision,
the license period shall not extend beyond the remaining period of
validity for the current rabies vaccination.



30802.  Each application for a dog license tag shall state the age,
sex, color, and breed of the dog for which the license is desired and
the address of the owner.



30803.  (a) The animal control department shall endorse upon the
application for a dog license tag the number of the license tag
issued.
   (b) All applications that have been endorsed shall be kept on file
in the office of the animal control department open to public
inspection.


30804.  The fee for the issuance of the dog license tag is fifty
cents ($0.50).  The board of supervisors may, however, increase the
fee.


30804.5.  Whenever dog license tags are issued pursuant to this
division, any such tag shall be issued for one-half or less of the
fee required for a dog, if a certificate is presented from a licensed
veterinarian that the dog has been spayed or neutered.




30804.7.  (a) The owner of a nonspayed or unneutered dog that is
impounded once by a city or county animal control agency or shelter,
society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or humane society,
shall be fined thirty-five dollars ($35) on the first occurrence,
fifty dollars ($50) on the second occurrence, and one hundred dollars
($100) for the third or subsequent occurrence.  These fines are for
unneutered impounded animals only, and are not in lieu of any fines
or impound fees imposed by any individual city, county, public animal
control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to
animals shelter, or humane society shelter.
   (b) 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 subdivision (a).  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, or humane society shelter.  Any funds collected
under this section shall be expended for the purpose of humane
education, programs for low cost spaying and neutering of dogs, 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 division.
   (c) This section applies to each county and cities within each
county, regardless of population.
   (d) No city or county, society for the prevention of cruelty to
animals, or humane society is subject to any civil action by the
owner of a dog that is spayed or neutered in accordance with this
section.



30805.  The board of supervisors shall fix the compensation of the
animal control department for issuing dog license tags.



30807.  Any licensed kennel may be exempted pursuant to regulation
or ordinance from any requirement to obtain a license tag for each
dog within the kennel.