All persons owning or having custody of a dog or cat over the age of four months of age shall obtain a license and tag for each dog and cat from the Director. Each applicant for such a license shall pay an annual fee as specified by the Board of Supervisors and set forth in the fee schedule. Every owner of an unlicensed or untagged dog or cat shall be deemed to be in violation of this title except as otherwise provided herein.
(Ord. 1053 § 37, 1969; SCC 0815 § 2, 1990; SCC 1356 § 13, 2007)
Every owner of a dog or cat that does not have a current vaccination for rabies as evidenced by an official certificate therefor, shall be deemed to be in violation of this title except as otherwise provided herein.
(Ord. 1053 § 38, 1969; SCC 0815 § 2, 1990; SCC 1356 § 14, 2007)
a. 
Every dog or cat over four months of age shall be subject to an annual license fee. If the dog or cat is over four months of age when acquired, the owner shall obtain a license within 30 calendar days of acquisition of or entry into the County. Thereafter, such license fee shall become due and payable annually on the date of expiration of any license previously issued to the owner for the dog or cat. The amount of such fee shall be established in accordance with Section 8.08.090 of this title but shall be charged only in full and not on any pro rata formula.
b. 
No owner shall possess or harbor within the County any dog or cat over the age of four months that has not been sterilized, unless such person holds an unaltered license, unaltered license with reduced fee, or is otherwise exempted as set forth in Sections 8.08.030 or 8.24.030(m). Upon the written certification of a veterinarian that a dog or cat has been surgically sterilized, the amount of the license fee shall be one-half or less than the fee established for intact dogs or cats.
c. 
Any owner of an unaltered dog or cat shall be eligible to pay a reduced unaltered license fee if, upon written proof provided annually, the owner demonstrates to the Director that the animal qualifies as either a "competition dog or cat" or a "working ranch dog" according to the following criteria:
1. 
Competition Dogs and Cats.
A. 
The owner registers each dog or cat with the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club, American Dog Breeders Association, International Cat Association, the Cat Fanciers Association, or other valid registry approved by the Department;
B. 
The animal participates in at least one event sanctioned by a national registry within the previous 12 month period from the date of issuance of the license or a showing that the animal has achieved a title from a purebred dog or cat registry. In the event that an owner cannot show proof that the animal has been shown in the previous 12 month period, the Department shall have the discretion to determine whether this subsection has been met; and
C. 
The owner does not breed the dog or cat during the time the animal holds a reduced unaltered license. This does not preclude the owner from obtaining an unaltered license at the full rate for the year the owner intends to breed the animal.
Or
2. 
Working Ranch Dogs.
A. 
The dog is defined as a working ranch dog; and
B. 
The owner does not breed the dog or cat during the time the animal holds a reduced unaltered license. This does not preclude the owner from obtaining an unaltered license at the full rate for the year the owner intends to breed the animal.
d. 
No license shall be issued for any dog or cat for which the rabies vaccination is valid for less than the 12 months period from the date of licensing or for any unvaccinated dog or cat. Should the rabies vaccination not be valid for 12 months from the date of first application for licensing, the owner may elect either: (1) to be issued a license at full price which would be valid for less than 12 months; or (2) to revaccinate the animal and be issued a license at full price which would be valid for no less than 12 months.
e. 
A dog or cat license fee shall become delinquent the day after it becomes due and payable, and upon delinquency, a monetary penalty as established in accordance with Section 8.24.060 of this chapter shall be added to the regular fee. An unpaid penalty shall be added to the succeeding year's license fee.
f. 
The Director shall procure and issue serially numbered license tags stamped with the name of the County and annual renewal licenses. The license shall only be issued upon the application of owners who have compiled with the vaccination and fee provisions of this title.
g. 
Upon presentation by a dog or cat owner of a properly completed license application form, including proof that the rabies vaccination will be valid throughout the licensing period, and the proper license fee, and, if applicable, a delinquent fee, the Director shall issue a dog or cat license and a license tag or renewal license. The owner shall retain the dog or cat license form for inspection by the Director.
h. 
Every dog or cat shall be provided by the owner with a suitable collar, harness, or other device to which the license tag shall be securely affixed. Alternate methods of identification may be allowable if approved in writing by the Director. The dog or cat owner shall ensure that the dog or cat wears such license tag or other approved identification at all times except when the animal is being prepared for or exhibited at a dog or cat show.
i. 
A license tag issued for one dog or cat shall not be transferred or attached to any other dog or cat.
j. 
A valid license issued pursuant to this section to one owner may be transferred to a new owner of the licensed animal for a transfer fee of $10.
k. 
Whenever a license tag or decal is lost, stolen, or damaged the owner shall apply for and obtain a replacement tag or decal from the Director upon payment of the prescribed replacement fee.
l. 
Despite anything in this title to the contrary, when an owner brings into the County a dog or cat that has been licensed in another jurisdiction, the dog or cat shall not be subject to the licensing provisions of this section for so long as the out-of-county license would be current and valid at its place of issuance but not more than 12 months from entering the County and so long as issuance of said license would have satisfied the provisions of Section 8.24.030 (b) of this chapter. Upon surrender of the license from the other jurisdiction, the owner shall be issued a Sacramento County dog or cat license at no charge.
m. 
The following are excused from ordinarily applicable license fee requirements, as specified:
1. 
No fee shall be charged for working dogs that are documented as having been appropriately trained and actively used by law enforcement agencies for law enforcement purposes.
2. 
A fee shall not be levied for any dog license issued for a seeing-eye dog owned by a blind or partially blind person or for any dog duly trained and registered with a training agency to assist a disabled person when such dog is actively used for the purpose trained.
3. 
Dogs and cats that are certified in writing by a licensed veterinarian as not being suitable subjects for sterilizing due to health or age reasons will be assessed the altered license fee. If the animal at a later date is determined by the veterinarian to be suitable for sterilization then the appropriate fee will be assessed.
(SCC 486 § 3, 1981; SCC 0815 § 2, 1990; SCC 1356 § 15, 2007)
Every dog which is commercially used as a protection or sentry dog must, in addition to satisfaction of the provisions of Section 8.24.030, wear at all times a distinctive type of identification as authorized and provided by the Chief of Animal Control which identifies to the public that the animal is a protection or sentry dog.
(SCC 486 § 3, 1981; SCC 0815 § 2, 1990)
a. 
No puppy or kitten shall be sold or transferred under the age of eight weeks unless, prior to any physical transfer of the puppy or kitten from the seller or transferor to the new owner, the puppy or kitten is approved for sale, as evidenced by written documentation from a veterinarian licensed to practice in California.
b. 
For the purposes of this section, the sale of a puppy or kitten shall not be considered complete unless and until the seller or transferor physically transfers the puppy or kitten to the new owner.
(SCC 1356 § 16, 2007)
a. 
Any person who advertises to the public the availability of any dog or cat for sale or transfer, whether for compensation or otherwise, shall prominently display the license number as described in Section 8.24.030 of this chapter in any such advertisement except as provided in subsection (a)(3) of this section.
1. 
If the person is selling a litter of puppies and/or kittens under the age of four months, the license number of the animal who was bred must be displayed.
2. 
If the person is selling a dog or cat over the age of four months, the license number of the animal who is being sold or transferred must be displayed.
3. 
If the person is selling a puppy or kitten under the age of four months, the person selling the puppy or kitten shall disclose upon request to the new owner or the Department the name and address of the animal's original owner.
b. 
The dog or cat license holder must provide the dog or cat license number to any person who purchases or receives any dog or cat from the license holder and include the license number on any receipt of sale or transfer document. If the animal being sold or transferred is a locally bred puppy or kitten under the age of four months, the license holder must provide the license number of the animal who was bred on any receipt of sale or transfer document. If the puppy or kitten was bred from an animal residing outside the County's jurisdictional boundaries, then the person selling the animal shall provide the name and address of the source of such dog or cat and any other pertinent information required by the Director.
c. 
No person shall present any dog or cat for sale or transfer, whether for compensation or otherwise, in any public place. The term public place shall include, but not be limited to, streets, highways, sidewalks, carnivals, flea markets, swap meets, outdoor markets, boardwalks, and areas in front of commercial establishments.
d. 
No person shall give away any dog or cat as a prize or as an inducement to enter into any contest, lottery, drawing, game, or competition.
e. 
No person shall give away any dog or cat as an inducement to enter a place of business, or to enter into a business arrangement.
f. 
A commercial establishment selling locally bred dogs or cats on the premises shall prominently display the license number(s) of the dogs and/or cats that are sold in said establishment and any other pertinent information required by the Director.
1. 
If the commercial establishment is selling a litter of puppies and/or kittens under the age of four months, the license number of the animal who was bred must be displayed.
2. 
If the commercial establishment is selling a dog or cat over the age of four months, the license number of the animal who is being sold or transferred must be displayed.
3. 
If the commercial establishment is selling a puppy or kitten under the age of four months, the commercial establishment shall display the source or origin of the puppy or kitten. Source or origin refers to where the animal came from, which would include name and address.
4. 
If a commercial establishment is advertising the commercial establishment itself and not a particular animal for sale or transfer then no license number is required to be displayed in said advertisement.
g. 
A commercial establishment selling dogs or cats on the premises that were bred within the State of California but not within the County shall make available during regular business hours to the Department the name and address of the source of such dogs and/or cats and any other pertinent information required by the Director.
h. 
Notwithstanding Section 8.24.050, no person shall sell or transfer a dog or cat under the age of four months of age that was bred outside the State without first providing the Department with a current or valid California health certificate for each animal intended to be sold or transferred within the County and upon request provide the new owner with said California health certificate.
(SCC 1356 § 17, 2007)
a. 
A violation of any of the provisions of this chapter may be punishable criminally as a misdemeanor or, in the alternative, by imposition of administrative monetary penalties pursuant to California Government Code Section 53069.4. Administrative monetary penalties shall be enforced and collected according to the procedures set forth in Section 8.36.130.
b. 
Violations of Sections 8.24.010, 8.24.030 (except subsection (b)), 8.24.050 and/or 8.24.055 shall be subject to the following:
1. 
Upon the first violation, a penalty of $100 for each animal. If the owner complies with the section within 14 days after receiving notice of said violation and presents proof of compliance, the penalty shall be waived. An additional one hundred dollar ($100.00) penalty shall apply for every 30 day period of a continuing violation, up to a maximum penalty per offense of $500.
2. 
Upon a second or subsequent violation, an initial penalty of not less than $500 for each animal with respect to which there is a violation, subject to late penalties in the amounts and as described in subsection (b)(1) of this section.
c. 
An owner of an unlicensed, unaltered animal which has been found to have been bred while being unlicensed shall be subject to the following:
1. 
Upon the first violation, a monetary penalty of $500 for each animal.
2. 
Upon a second or subsequent violation, a fine of not less than $1000 for each animal with respect to which there is a violation.
d. 
Violations of subsection (b) of Section 8.24.030 shall be subject to the following:
1. 
Upon the first violation, a penalty of $300 for each animal. If the owner complies with the Section within 14 days after receiving notice of said violation and presents proof of compliance, the penalty shall be waived. An additional one hundred dollar ($100.00) penalty shall apply for every 30 day period of a continuing violation, up to a maximum penalty per offense of $500.
2. 
Upon a second or subsequent violation, an initial penalty of not less than $500 for each animal with respect to which there is a violation, subject to late penalties in the amounts and as described in subsection (b)(1) of this section.
e. 
In the event that the owner violating provisions of this chapter no longer possesses said animal, he or she is still responsible for any and all penalties assessed to him or her. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as preventing the Director from instituting a proceeding in the municipal court for violation of this chapter where there has been no impoundment.
(SCC 1356 § 18, 2007)
A. 
There is hereby created by the Office of the County Auditor-Controller in the County Treasury a special interest-bearing trust fund entitled the Sterilization Fund. At a minimum, 50% of all penalty fees collected pursuant to Section 8.24.060 and 50% of all unaltered license fees shall be placed in said fund and shall be expended solely to finance public or private programs that provide pet sterilization programs to low income individuals and families in the County. The low income restriction may be waived for any owner of a pit bull, pit bull mix or cat, including unowned feral cats.
B. 
The Sterilization Fund shall be administered by the Director of Animal Care Services, who shall have the authority to govern the Fund consistent with this chapter and to prescribe procedures to carry out these purposes, subject to the Board of Supervisors' approval by resolution.
(SCC 1356 § 19, 2007; SCC 1493 § 1, 2011; SCC 1706 § 9, 2022)