Bristol, CT Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- §§ 4-4(a), 4-5
- Mandate
- No unaltered cat over 6 months old
- First penalty
- $90.00 fine after 30-day cure notice
- Escalation
- Fine doubles if not cured in 30 more days
- Lien threshold
- Liens for debts over $250.00 at 18%/yr
- Appeal window
- 21 days to housing board of appeals
Summary
Bristol makes it unlawful to own, harbor or keep a cat over six months old that has not been spayed, neutered or otherwise sterilized. A first citation carries a ninety-dollar fine that doubles if not corrected within thirty days, and unpaid fines over two hundred fifty dollars can become a lien on the owner's property.
No person shall own, harbor or keep a cat over the age of six (6) months which has not been spayed, neutered or other method of sterilization. ... Any person who violates this article shall be given notice of such violation. If such violation is not cured within thirty (30) days of such notice the animal control officer or designee will issue a citation against such person. The penalty for violation of this article shall be ninety dollars ($90.00), payable to the Bristol Police Department. If the violation is not corrected within thirty (30) days the fine shall double and the animal control officer or designee may issue, without further notice, additional citations for each day of the continuing violations, each of which shall be considered separate and distinct offenses. If the amount owed by one (1) person for isolation exceeds two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00), the animal control officer or designee may file a notice or certificate of lien against the property of the person, which shall bear interest at the rate of eighteen (18) percent per annum until paid in full.
Full Breakdown
Section 4-4(a) of the Bristol Code of Ordinances states flatly that no person shall own, harbor or keep a cat over the age of six (6) months which has not been spayed, neutered or other method of sterilization. Section 4-5 sets out how that mandate is enforced: a person who violates the article is first given notice of the violation, and if it is not cured within thirty (30) days the animal control officer or designee issues a citation carrying a ninety-dollar ($90.00) fine, payable to the Bristol Police Department.
If the violation still is not corrected within another thirty days, the fine doubles, and the animal control officer or designee may issue additional citations for each day the violation continues, with each day treated as a separate and distinct offense. Section 4-5 also authorizes a property lien: if the amount owed by one person exceeds two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00), the animal control officer or designee may file a notice or certificate of lien against the person's property, bearing interest at eighteen (18) percent per year until paid in full.
Section 4-7 lets a cited owner appeal the fine to the city's housing board of appeals within twenty-one (21) days of the citation, with the board's decision final and payment due one month after the decision. Owners can also avoid the mandate through Section 4-6's exemptions for rescue organizations, medically unfit cats, and cats visiting for a sanctioned show.
Violations & Fines
Owning, harboring or keeping an unaltered cat over six months old draws a notice, then a ninety-dollar ($90.00) citation if uncured after thirty days, doubling for a second uncured period, with each additional day a separate offense. Debts over two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) can become a property lien at eighteen (18) percent annual interest; fines are never waived if the cat is sold, transferred or abandoned, and appeals go to the housing board of appeals within twenty-one (21) days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to own an unspayed or unneutered cat in Bristol?
What is the penalty for an unaltered cat past the deadline?
Can Bristol put a lien on my property over an unpaid cat fine?
Can I appeal a spay/neuter citation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bristol
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