Tulare County, CA Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)

Section 4-07-3225 sets a hard age limit for altering pet dogs: every dog kept in the unincorporated area must be spayed or neutered by the time it turns six months old. The county carves out three exceptions, dogs used by police agencies, dogs whose veterinarian has written that spaying or neutering would harm the dog's health, and dogs covered by a Licensed Unaltered Dog permit, which lets a breeder or owner keep an intact dog on file with Animal Services. Owners who already had intact dogs when the ordinance took effect were given six months to comply, and residents who move into the county with an unaltered dog get 90 days from their move-in date to have the dog altered or obtain the Unaltered License.

First-time offenders are not cited immediately: Animal Services provides information on subsidized sterilization services and grants an additional 60 days to come into compliance before pursuing enforcement under § 4-07-2200. The rule works alongside the county's four-dog cap without a kennel permit and its licensing program, and Animal Services can order an owner to relocate or surrender an animal, or bar the person from owning animals for up to three years, for a related pattern of violations under § 4-07-3230.