Section 31751.3 Of Chapter 1. Regulation Of Cats Generally From California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 14.5. >> Chapter 1.
31751.3
. (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, humane society shelter, or
rescue group shall sell or give away to a new owner any cat that has
not been spayed or neutered.
(2) For the purposes of this section, a "rescue group" is a
for-profit or not-for-profit entity, or a collaboration of
individuals with at least one of its purposes being the sale or
placement of cats that have been removed from a public animal control
agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals
shelter, or humane shelter or that have been previously owned by any
person other than the original breeder of that cat.
(b) (1) If a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine
in this state certifies that a cat is too sick or injured to be
spayed or neutered, or that it would otherwise be detrimental to the
health of the cat to be spayed or neutered, the adopter or purchaser
shall pay the public animal control agency or shelter, society for
the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter,
or rescue group a deposit of not less than forty dollars ($40), and
not more than seventy-five dollars ($75).
(2) The entity shall establish the amount of the deposit at the
level it determines is necessary to encourage the spaying or
neutering of cats.
(3) The deposit shall be temporary, and shall only be retained
until the cat is healthy enough to be spayed or neutered, as
certified by a veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine
in this state.
(4) The cat shall be spayed or neutered within 14 business days of
that certification.
(5) The adopter or purchaser shall obtain written proof of spaying
or neutering from the veterinarian performing the operation.
(6) If the adopter or purchaser presents proof of spaying or
neutering to the entity from which the cat was obtained within 30
business days of obtaining the proof, the adopter or purchaser shall
receive a full refund of the deposit.
(c) Public animal control agencies or shelters, society for the
prevention of cruelty to animals shelters, humane society shelters,
and rescue groups may enter into cooperative agreements with each
other and with veterinarians in lieu of requiring spaying and
neutering deposits to carry out this section.
(d) Any funds from unclaimed deposits made pursuant to this
section, as it read on January 1, 1999, and any funds from deposits
unclaimed after January 1, 2000, may be expended only for programs to
spay or neuter cats and dogs, including agreements with a society
for the prevention of cruelty to animals or a humane society or
licensed veterinarian, to operate a program to spay or neuter cats
and dogs.
(e) This section only applies to a county that has a population
exceeding 100,000 persons as of January 1, 2000, and to cities within
that county.