Spay & Neuter Exemptions And The Breeders Permit
The Spay & Neuter procedure is required for cats and dogs in the City of Los Angeles, however, there are some Special Exemptions.
For more information on the benefits of Spay & Neuter procedures, discounted services and the requirements of the law, visit our Spay & Neuter page.
On February 12, 2008, the City Council of Los Angeles gave final approval to a new law that requires all cats and dogs in the City to be spayed or neutered after the age of four months, with some specific exemptions allowed. The Mayor signed this ordinance on February 26, 2008, making Los Angeles the national leader in efforts to humanely decrease the number of pets abandoned and euthanized each year.
- Effective since October 1, 2008.
- Applies to all dogs and cats over four months of age, unless exempted.
- Violations are subject to three levels of increasing fines, starting at $100, to urge compliance.
- Upon the second violation, animals are subject to mandatory sterilization
- After multiple violations, non-compliance is a misdemeanor.
- Maintaining an intact dog requires both meeting the requirements for an exemption AND obtaining an intact license.
- Is a breed approved by and registered with a registry or association which, at a minimum, requires identification of the breed, date of birth, names of registered sire and dam, the name of breeder, and record-keeping relating to breeding, transfer of ownership and death, and does or will actively show or compete.
- Has earned or is in the process of earning a special title (i.e. agility, herding).
- Is used as or in training to be a guide, signal, or service dog.
- Is a dog trained, or in training, for use in law enforcement, military or rescue activities.
- Has a letter and documentation from a licensed veterinarian certifying that the animal should be temporarily or permanently deferred due to age or health.
- Has a valid breeding permit issued to the owner pursuant to existing City ordinance. Additionally, all intact dogs must have an intact dog license from the City.
Additionally, all intact dogs must have an intact dog license from the City.
Breeder's Permit
City of Los Angeles Department of Animal Services ANIMAL BREEDER’S PERMIT
PURSUANT TO LOS ANGELES MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 53.15.2, PERSONS ENGAGED IN THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITY ARE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN AN ANIMAL BREEDER’S PERMIT:
No person shall cause or allow any dog or cat owned, harbored or kept within the City of Los Angeles to breed without first obtaining a breeding permit. Each breeding permit shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance, and may be renewed annually before its expiration date. Each applicant for such permit must obtain a breeding permit $235.00 and an intact license $100.00. The animal must be microchipped as well.
ANY PERSON ISSUED AN ANIMAL BREEDER’S PERMIT SHALL COMPLY WITH THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:
A. The owner of an unaltered female dog or cat shall not allow the whelping of more than one litter in any household within the permit year. Not withstanding this provision, the General Manager is authorized, upon application of a permittee, to allow on a onetime basis the whelping of up to two dog or cat litters per breeding animal within any domestic household within a year, if the permittee establishes, according to regulations promulgated by the General Manager, that such breeding is required to protect the health of the animal or avert a substantial economic loss to the permittee. In the event that a permittee is forced to euthanize a litter of dogs or cats, the General Manager may authorize the whelping of one additional litter of dogs or cats within the same permit year by the permittee.
B. No offspring may be sold, adopted, bartered, or otherwise transferred, whether for compensation or otherwise, until it has reached the age of at least eight weeks.
C. No offspring may be sold or adopted until immunized against common disease. The sale or adoption of a dog or cat shall include a statement signed by the seller or adopter attesting to the signatory’s knowledge of the animal’s health and the animal’s immunization history.
D. Any holder of a breeding permit who advertises the availability of any dog or cat for sale, adoption, or transfer, whether for compensation or otherwise must prominently display the permit number in any such advertisement. Further, the breeding permit holder must provide the permit number to any person who purchases, adopts, or receives any animal from the permit holder and include the permit number on any receipt of sale.
E. Commercial establishments selling locally bred dogs or cats shall prominently display the breeding permit number(s) of the breeder(s) whose dogs or cats are sold in said establishments and any other pertinent information required by the General Manager. Commercial establishments selling dogs or cats not bred within the City of Los Angeles shall prominently display the name and address of the breeder(s) of such dogs and cats and any other pertinent information required by the General Manager.
F. Any breeding permit holder selling or otherwise transferring a dog or cat, whether for compensation or otherwise, shall submit to the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services the name, address, and telephone number of the animal’s new owner within five days from the sale or other transfer, on a Department approved form; and G. Any breeding permit holder or commercial establishment which sells or otherwise transfers a dog or cat, whether for compensation or otherwise, shall provide to the new animal owner City application(s) for a license and permit as well as written information regarding the license and permit requirements of the City of Los Angeles applicable to such animal.
