Deadline nears to neuter dogs

[bigdoglover]

Whittier Daily News

Dog owners living in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County must have their dogs spayed or neutered and microchipped by Sept. 3, according to County animal control officials.
The measure became effective on June 1, said Marcia Mayeda, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control.

. Her agency added a 90-day grace period.

Starting Sept. 3, animal control officers will begin active enforcement of the measure, which could mean fines starting at $250 per infraction and increasing to $1,000 and possibly a jail sentence for dog owners who refuse to comply with the law.

The mandatory spay/neuter law, which is designed to reduce the high number of unclaimed and unwanted dogs coming into Los Angeles County animal shelters, applies to all dogs kept in unincorporated areas. Those regions are home to more than 1 million residents of Los Angeles County. There are exceptions in the law for certified and registered competition and conformation dogs as well as for dogs that a veterinarian certifies as being at too much medical risk to spay or neuter. The department has been offering free microchip implanting and national database registration at its six shelters and will continue to do so.

The agency also has enlisted the services of more than 70 veterinary medical practices in all regions of the county who have agreed to spay and neuter dogs at the county's own low-cost rates or, in some cases, accept $50 discount vouchers the department is providing to senior citizens and persons who have state-issued California Advantage cards.

The new law set annual dog licensing fees at $20 for altered animals and $60 for unaltered dogs.

Income from the sale of dog licenses will be used to help finance county-run low-cost spay and neuter programs, to further encourage compliance.