DIVISION 14. REGULATION AND LICENSING OF DOGS [30501. - 31683.]
Division 14 enacted by Stats. 1967, Ch. 15.
§§ 30501–31683 · 96 sections
CHAPTER 1. General Provisions §§ 30501–30505 · 6 sections
- § 30501 (a) The board of supervisors of any county or the governing body of any city may adopt Sections 30801, 30802, 30803, 30804, 30805, 30952, 31105, 31106, 31107,
- § 30502 Any dog license tag which is issued by any city and county or city constitutes compliance with this division if it is issued pursuant to an ordinance which…
- § 30503 (a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), no public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter,…
- § 30503.5 (a) For purposes of this section: (1) “Animal shelter” means a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals…
- § 30504 For purposes of this division, each member of a litter of puppies, weaned or unweaned, shall be treated as an individual animal.
- § 30505 (a) A public animal shelter shall not charge an adoption fee for a dog if the person adopting the dog presents to the public animal shelter a current and valid…
CHAPTER 1.5. Special Provisions Applicable to Counties With a Population of Less Than 100,000 Persons §§ 30520–30526 · 8 sections
- § 30520 (a) This chapter only applies to a county that has a population of less than 100,000 persons as of January 1, 2000, and to cities within that county. A county…
- § 30521 (a) A spaying or neutering deposit may be either of the following: (1) A portion of the adoption fee or other fees rendered in acquiring the dog, which will…
- § 30522 (a) (1) If a recipient fails to comply with the spaying or neutering agreement within 30 business days after the agreement is signed, the recipient shall…
- § 30523 (a) (1) A person who commits any violation of subdivision (b) is subject to a civil penalty of not less than fifty dollars ($50) on a first violation of…
- § 30524 Local ordinances concerning the adoption or placement procedures of any public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to…
- § 30524.5 (a) A public animal shelter shall not charge an adoption fee for a dog if the person adopting the dog presents to the public animal shelter a current and valid…
- § 30525 Whenever a dog license tag is issued pursuant to this division, the tag shall be issued for one-half or less of the fee required for a dog, if a certificate is…
- § 30526 (a) For purposes of this section: (1) “Animal shelter” means a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals…
CHAPTER 2. Disposition of Funds §§ 30651–30656 · 6 sections
- § 30651 As used in this chapter, “livestock” includes domestic fowls and rabbits.
- § 30652 All fees for the issuance of dog license tags and all fines collected pursuant to this division shall be paid into the county, city, or city and county…
- § 30653 Each such claim for damages is governed by Part 3 (commencing with Section 900) and Part 4 (commencing with Section 940), Division 3.6, Title 1 of the…
- § 30654 The affidavits shall fix the value of the livestock and establish the fact beyond reasonable doubt that the animal was killed by a dog.
- § 30655 If a claim is allowed, it shall be paid from the fund which is provided for in this chapter in the same manner as other claims against the county are paid.
- § 30656 (a) Any county, city, or city and county may, by ordinance, elect to utilize the provisions of this section in lieu of Sections 30653 and 30654. (b) The claim…
CHAPTER 3. Dog Tags §§ 30801–30807 · 8 sections
- § 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…
- § 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…
- § 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…
- § 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…
- § 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.
CHAPTER 3.5. Guide Dogs, Signal Dogs,and Service Dogs §§ 30850–30854 · 5 sections
- § 30850 (a) The animal control department shall endorse upon the application for an assistance dog identification tag the number of the identification tag issued. As…
- § 30851 The owners of assistance dogs shall comply with all state and local ordinances regarding health and licensure requirements for dogs.
- § 30852 (a) The tag identifying a dog as an assistance dog shall be used only by a person with a disability or a trainer of an assistance dog and shall be of such…
- § 30853 Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit the access of any person in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336).
- § 30854 The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provision of this chapter or its application is held invalid or to be in conflict with the Americans with…
CHAPTER 4. Regulation §§ 30951–30956 · 6 sections
- § 30951 It is unlawful for any person to own, harbor, or keep any dog over the age of four months, or to permit such a dog which is owned, harbored, or controlled by…
- § 30952 It is unlawful for any person to attach a license tag to the collar of any dog except the dog which is described in the application for such license tag.
- § 30953 Except as otherwise provided in this division, it is unlawful for any person to kill, injure, or impound any dog, if the owner of the dog has complied with the…
- § 30954 It is unlawful for any person to permit any female dog which is owned, harbored, or controlled by him, to run at large at any time during the period when the…
- § 30955 It is unlawful for any person to permit any dog which is owned, harbored, or controlled by him to run at large on any farm on which livestock or domestic fowls…
- § 30956 In an action for violation of Section 30955, the court may stay imposition of a sentence and order the defendant to compensate the owner of the farm in an…
CHAPTER 4.5. Importation of Dogs §§ 31000–31002 · 2 sections
- § 31000 (a) A person selling, transporting, or importing a dog into the state for the purpose of resale or change of ownership shall obtain, and submit to the…
- § 31002 (a) A health certificate received by the department pursuant to this chapter is a public record subject to disclosure, without redaction, under the California…
CHAPTER 5. Killing and Seizure §§ 31101–31153 · 14 sections
ARTICLE 1. Generally §§ 31101–31109 · 11 sections
- § 31101 Any dog which is found running at large without the identification tag or dog license tag which is required pursuant to Section 30951 may be seized and…
- § 31102 Except in an area in which the provisions of Article 2 (commencing with Section 31151) of this chapter apply or as otherwise provided in Section 31104, any…
- § 31103 Except in an area in which the provisions of Article 2 (commencing with Section 31151) of this chapter apply or as otherwise provided in Section 31104, any dog…
- § 31104 The provisions of Sections 31102 and 31103 shall not apply to any dog which is inside the corporate limits of any city, or city and county, or to any dog which…
- § 31105 The board of supervisors shall provide for both of the following: (a) The taking up and impounding of all dogs which are found running at large in violation of…
- § 31106 The board of supervisors may appoint proper persons to take up, impound, and kill dogs pursuant to this division or it may enter into a contract with any…
- § 31107 No dog which is impounded pursuant to this division shall be killed or otherwise disposed of without notice to the owner, if he is known.
- § 31108 (a) (1) The required holding period for a stray dog impounded pursuant to this division shall be six business days, not including the day of impoundment,…
- § 31108.3 (a) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane…
- § 31108.5 (a) (1) Upon relinquishment of a dog to a public or private shelter, the owner of that dog shall present sufficient identification to establish his or her…
- § 31109 Any dog which is found straying on any farm where livestock are kept, which has attached to its collar the identification tag or dog license tag prescribed by…
ARTICLE 2. Optional Provisions §§ 31151–31153 · 3 sections
- § 31151 The provisions of Sections 31102 and 31103 shall not apply in any area of a county in which the board of supervisors has provided, by resolution, that the…
- § 31152 Any person may kill any dog in any area of a county in which the provisions of this article apply in any of the following cases: (a) The dog is found in the…
- § 31153 Any dog entering any enclosed or unenclosed property upon which livestock or poultry are confined may be seized by the owner or tenant of the property or any…
CHAPTER 6. Fees for Impounding §§ 31251–31255 · 5 sections
- § 31251 The board of supervisors of each county shall fix the fee for impounding any dog and the amount which is to be paid for keeping the dog.
- § 31252 If the impounding of a dog is done by an appointee of the board of supervisors or by a humane society or other organization or association which has entered…
- § 31253 If a dog which has been impounded is claimed by the owner, the fee for impounding and keeping the dog, as fixed by the board of supervisors, shall be paid by…
- § 31254 The refusal or failure of the owner of any such dog to pay the fee and charges after due notification shall be held to be an abandonment of the dog by the…
- § 31255 (a) An animal control officer of any county, if so authorized by the board of supervisors of the county, or an animal control officer of any city, if so…
CHAPTER 7. Violations §§ 31401–31402 · 2 sections
- § 31401 Except as provided in Section 31402, violation of any provision of this division is an infraction punishable by a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50) for…
- § 31402 Violation of any provision of this division that results in death or serious injury to livestock or poultry is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more…
CHAPTER 8. Civil Liability §§ 31501–31508 · 8 sections
- § 31501 The owner of any livestock or poultry which is injured or killed by any dog may recover as liquidated damages from the owner of the dog twice the actual value…
- § 31502 If two or more dogs kept by two or more owners or keepers injure or kill any livestock or poultry at the same time, the owners or keepers of the dogs are…
- § 31503 If any person sustains any loss or damage to any livestock or poultry which is caused by a dog, or if any livestock of any person is necessarily destroyed…
- § 31504 The complaint shall satisfy all of the following requirements: (a) Be in writing. (b) Signed by the person that makes it. (c) State when, where, what, and how…
- § 31505 If the person that owns the dog or was in charge of it when the damage or loss was sustained appears from the complaint, the judge shall forthwith issue a…
- § 31506 The summons shall be made returnable not less than two nor more than six days from the date of issue and shall be served at least two days before the time of…
- § 31507 The service of the summons may be made by any person over the age of 18 years or by registered mail to the last known address of the owner or person in charge.…
- § 31508 Upon the return day fixed in the summons, the judge shall proceed to determine whether the loss or damage to the livestock was caused by the dog. If he finds…
CHAPTER 9. Potentially Dangerous and Vicious Dogs §§ 31601–31683 · 26 sections
ARTICLE 1. Findings, Definitions, and General Provisions §§ 31601–31609 · 9 sections
- § 31601 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Potentially dangerous and vicious dogs have become a serious and widespread threat to the safety…
- § 31602 “Potentially dangerous dog” means any of the following: (a) Any dog which, when unprovoked, on two separate occasions within the prior 36-month period, engages…
- § 31603 “Vicious dog” means either of the following: (a) Any dog that, when unprovoked, in an aggressive manner, inflicts severe injury on or kills a human being. (b)…
- § 31604 “Severe injury” means any physical injury to a human being that results in muscle tears or disfiguring lacerations or requires multiple sutures or corrective…
- § 31605 “Enclosure” means a fence or structure suitable to prevent the entry of young children, and which is suitable to confine a vicious dog in conjunction with…
- § 31606 “Animal control department” means the county or city animal control department. If the city or county does not have an animal control department, it means…
- § 31607 “Impounded” means taken into the custody of the public animal shelter or animal control department or provider of animal control services to the city or county…
- § 31608 “County” includes any city and county.
- § 31609 (a) This chapter does not apply to licensed kennels, humane society shelters, animal control facilities, or veterinarians. (b) This chapter does not apply to…
ARTICLE 2. Judicial Process §§ 31621–31626 · 6 sections
- § 31621 If an animal control officer or a law enforcement officer has investigated and determined that there exists probable cause to believe that a dog is potentially…
- § 31622 (a) After the hearing conducted pursuant to Section 31621, the owner or keeper of the dog shall be notified in writing of the determination and orders issued,…
- § 31623 The court or hearing entity of original jurisdiction or the court hearing the appeal may decide all issues for or against the owner or keeper of the dog even…
- § 31624 The determination of the court hearing the appeal shall be final and conclusive upon all parties.
- § 31625 (a) If upon investigation it is determined by the animal control officer or law enforcement officer that probable cause exists to believe the dog in question…
- § 31626 (a) No dog may be declared potentially dangerous or vicious if any injury or damage is sustained by a person who, at the time the injury or damage was…
ARTICLE 3. Disposition of Potentially Dangerous or Vicious Dogs §§ 31641–31646 · 6 sections
- § 31641 All potentially dangerous dogs shall be properly licensed and vaccinated. The licensing authority shall include the potentially dangerous designation in the…
- § 31642 A potentially dangerous dog, while on the owner’s property, shall, at all times, be kept indoors, or in a securely fenced yard from which the dog cannot…
- § 31643 If the dog in question dies, or is sold, transferred, or permanently removed from the city or county where the owner or keeper resides, the owner of a…
- § 31644 If there are no additional instances of the behavior described in Section 31602 within a 36-month period from the date of designation as a potentially…
- § 31645 (a) A dog determined to be a vicious dog may be destroyed by the animal control department when it is found, after proceedings conducted under Article 2…
- § 31646 The owner of a dog determined to be a vicious dog may be prohibited by the city or county from owning, possessing, controlling, or having custody of any dog…
ARTICLE 4. Penalties §§ 31662–31663 · 2 sections
- § 31662 Any violation of this chapter involving a potentially dangerous dog shall be punished by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500). Any violation of…
- § 31663 All fines paid pursuant to this article shall be paid to the city or county in which the violation occurred for the purpose of defraying the cost of the…
ARTICLE 5. Miscellaneous §§ 31681–31683 · 3 sections
- § 31681 If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or…
- § 31682 The Judicial Council shall prepare all forms necessary to give effect to this chapter, including a summons or citation to be used by law enforcement agencies…
- § 31683 Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a city or county from adopting or enforcing its own program for the control of potentially dangerous or…