City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council discuss the Los Angeles County Ordinance
Amending Title 10 – Animals and direct staff as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND:
On May 2, 2006 the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (“the Board”)
adopted County Ordinance No. 2006-0029 effective on June 3, 2006 for
unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County (“the County”). The measure
requires adult dogs to be spayed or neutered, and implanted with an identifying
microchip. The purpose for the mandatory spay and neuter provisions, which are
required of all dogs over the age of four months, is to reduce the number of stray
animals in Los Angeles County’s animal shelters. The goal of the microchip
provision to provide positive, reliable on-body identification for dogs that will
expedite their return to owners. Compliance for mandatory spay/neuter and micro-
chipping programs is September 3, 2006.
As adopted by the Board, the measure applies only to the unincorporated areas of
the County. Components or the entire measure could be adopted by Council to
align the City’s local ordinances with the County.
Meeting Date: 07/10/2006 Item Number: A-2
AGENDA ITEM: Discussion of Los Angeles County Ordinance Amending Title 10
– Animals, of the Los Angeles County Code, Establishing a Mandatory Spay and
Neuter Program for Dogs and Requiring that all Dogs over the Age of Four
Months be Implanted with an Identifying Microchip
Contact Person/Dept.: Akil Manley /
Shelly Wolfberg
Phone Number: (310) 253-6015 / (310)
253-6008
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: Master Notification List (07/05/06)
Department Approval: Martin R. Cole
(07/05/06)
CAO Approval: Jerry B. Fulwood
(07/05/06)
City Controller Approval:
City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
DISCUSSION:
In fiscal year 2004-2005, 81 stray dogs from the City were picked up by the Los
Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (LACDACC) and
impounded at the Carson Shelter. Once housed at the Carson Shelter, only 26
were reclaimed by their owners, while 38 were placed in new homes. The low
reclamation rate is due, in part, to dogs lacking identification and owners not being
notified. By establishing mandatory spay/neuter and micro-chipping programs,
penalties for noncompliance, and new license fee structure for dog licenses, the
County’s ordinance is intended to reduce the number of impounded stray dogs,
decrease the euthanasia rate, and reduce program operating costs.
Mandatory Spay and Neutering
The measure amends Los Angeles County Code § 10.20 to add Part 4, Mandatory
Spay and Neutering Program for Dogs. The Mandatory Spay and Neutering
Program is designed to encompass the non-shelter animal population to reduce
the number of animal impounds and the number of animals euthanized at Los
Angeles County animal shelters. Depending on the size of the dog, the cost for
spaying/neutering ranges from $80 to $300 for a private veterinarian and $35 to
$45 at the Carson Shelter. To offset surgery costs at private hospitals, the County
is funding a voucher in the amount of $50 that will be offered to residents over the
age of 50 and low-income pet owners.
The Mandatory Spay and Neutering Program does not apply to all dogs. Dogs that
are determined by a veterinarian that the surgery is unsafe due to age or infirmity,
used by law enforcement agencies, certified service dogs and purebred dogs
registered with recognized breed clubs are exempted under the measure.
To enforce this provision, a stray unaltered dog that is impounded by the County
will be spayed or neutered prior to being reclaimed by its owner, unless the owner
demonstrates compliance with the ordinance. The cost for spaying or neutering
will be at the expense of the owner. When a current unaltered dog license expires
the owner will have to show compliance through documentation of spaying or
neutering before a license is renewed.
Mandatory Micro-chipping
The measure also amends Los Angeles County Code § 10.20.185 to add Micro-
chipping of Dogs Required. Micro-chipping is a simple, non-surgical procedure to
assist with positively identifying and reuniting stray dogs with their owners. The
microchip, which is approximately the size of a grain of rice, is injected underneath
the skin with a needle. While tags can become lost or damaged and tattoos can
fade or be altered, microchips provide permanent identification with unique
numbers that cannot be changed. There is no anesthesia required, and even the City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
smallest dog can be safely micro-chipped. Some of the benefits of the micro-
chipping provision are the following:
• Animal Control Officers Identifying Stray Dogs in the Field. County Animal
Control Officers would be able to scan stray dogs, and if the dog is micro-
chipped, gather the necessary information from a national registry to
attempt to contact the owner and deliver the dog to the owners while out in
the field, which will decrease the City’s housing costs. Fines can be
immediately assessed for violation of leash law and return-to-owner fee.
• Micro-chipping Increases the Holding Period of a Stray Dog. The County
holding period of a stray dog housed at a shelter is five days, while the
holding period for a micro-chipped dog is extended to ten days.
• Stray Dogs Found in Neighboring Cities. Animal Control Officers in
neighboring cities would be able to scan for a microchip for stray dogs found
in their jurisdiction, and, if present, the respective Animal Control Officer
would be able find out where the dog was originally micro-chipped and
contact Los Angeles County for animal pick up and sheltering.
The cost for micro-chipping a dog is approximately $60 at a private veterinarian
hospital. To lower the cost of micro-chipping to dog owners, the Found Animal
Foundation of Los Angeles has donated 1 million microchips for dogs and lifetime
registration for dog owners with current licenses and proof of vaccinations. The
County is currently scheduling free microchip clinics throughout the County. Micro-
chipping clinics are offered at convenient times and locations to provide pet owners
easy access to obtain microchips for their pets. The County is willing to conduct an
initial simultaneous microchip/vaccination/license clinic for Culver City.
To enforce this provision, unmicro-chipped dogs that are impounded by the County
will be micro-chipped prior to being reclaimed by their owners, unless owners can
demonstrate compliance with the ordinance. The cost for micro-chipping will not
be at the expense of the owner. When a current dog license expires the owner will
have to show compliance through micro-chipping documentation before a license
is renewed. To provide residents an opportunity to receive a free microchip at no
cost, the City has the option to set the enforcement date of this provision to follow
a scheduled citywide microchip clinic.
Breeding Limits
The Los Angeles County Code prohibits the breeding of more than one litter per
female dog per year, and no more than five litters per female dog during her
lifetime. This restriction is consistent with generally accepted breeding principles
that are customary in the codes of ethics of purebred dog breeder associations.
The sale and transfer of unaltered dogs is also regulated and owners must report
the births, sales and transfers of these animals. City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
Compliance and Penalties
To assist with the enforcement of the measure’s requirements, penalties will be
assessed for violations of any of the provisions of the ordinance with a fine not to
exceed $250 for the first infraction; and a misdemeanor punishable by
imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed six months or by a fine
not to exceed $1,000 for the second infraction. Each subsequent violation within
one year shall be considered an additional misdemeanor.
Increased Fees
Lastly, the ordinance amends Los Angeles County Code § 10.90.010 to establish a
new fee structure, effective September 3, 2006, for altered and unaltered dog
licenses to recover the costs of enforcement and to subsidize a low-cost dog
sterilization fund. This fee structure applies to dogs in the unincorporated areas of
the County. The ordinance raises each dog license fee, which is to be set aside
into a low-cost spay/neuter assistance fund. The license fees have increased from
$15.00 to $20.00 for an altered dog and $20.00 to $60.00 for an unaltered dog. Of
the license fee increase $5.00 will be used to pay for three additional veterinarians
at department shelters to provide low-cost sterilization surgeries for the public and
to fund the spay and neutering voucher program. Currently, the City’s licensing fee
structure is $20 for altered and $40 for unaltered dogs.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
No negative fiscal impact is anticipated. The fee modifications may generate
unanticipated revenue, while the mandatory programs may potentially decrease
program costs.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Ordinance Amending Title 10 – Animals of the Los Angeles County Code
MOTION:
That the City Council:
discuss the Los Angeles County Ordinance Amending Title 10 – Animals and
direct staff as deemed appropriate.