Campbell County, KY Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Campbell County Code § 90.10
- Applies to
- Dogs and cats adopted or reclaimed from Animal Services
- Young-animal hold
- $10 cash/check hold until altered
- Related programs
- Mandatory microchipping (§ 90.13), heartworm testing (§ 90.14)
- Enforcing agency
- Campbell County Animal Services
- Original adoption
- Ord. O-16-2000, passed 9-20-00
Summary
Campbell County Code § 90.10 requires every dog and cat adopted from Campbell County Animal Services, including animals reclaimed by their own owners, to be surgically altered before adoption. If the animal is too young for surgery, the adopter places a $10 cash or check hold and picks the animal up once it has been altered.
(A) All dogs and cats adopted from Campbell County Animal Services shall be surgically altered prior to adoption to prevent breeding. (B) For the purpose of this section ADOPTED includes animals reclaimed by their owners. (C) If the animal is too young to be surgically altered, the adopter shall place a $10 cash/check hold and pick up the animal once it has been altered.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-50: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. O-09-2026, passed 8-5-26; and Res. R-42-26, passed 7-15-26; and State legislation current through KRS Pamphlet 2025).
Full Breakdown
10(A) states that all dogs and cats adopted from Campbell County Animal Services must be surgically altered prior to adoption to prevent breeding. 10(B) extends the word ADOPTED to cover animals reclaimed by their own owners from the shelter, so an owner reclaiming an unaltered pet is subject to the same alteration requirement as a new adopter. 10(C) addresses animals too young for surgery: the adopter places a $10 cash or check hold and returns to pick up the animal once Animal Services has had it altered.
The mandate was first adopted by Ord. O-16-2000 on September 20, 2000, and has been amended four times since, most recently by Ord. O-11-25 on December 17, 2025. 15's feline leukemia/FIV testing for adopted cats (community cats that are or will be ear-tipped are exempt from that testing). The spay/neuter mandate applies specifically to shelter adoptions and reclaims; it does not impose a general surgical-alteration requirement on every dog or cat owner in the county.
Violations & Fines
Section 90.99(A) applies the general chapter penalty in § 10.99 to any violation of this chapter without its own specific penalty. Because § 90.10 falls within the range § 90.01 through § 90.15 covered by § 90.99(B), a failure to comply is treated as a Class B misdemeanor on a first offense, with a fine of up to $250, up to 90 days in county jail, or both, rising to a Class A misdemeanor with up to $500 and up to 365 days in jail for a second or later offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Campbell County require spaying or neutering before shelter adoption?
What if my reclaimed pet was never altered?
What happens if the animal is too young to be spayed or neutered?
Does this rule require me to spay or neuter a pet I already own?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Campbell County
Compare Campbell County to another location·View the Kentucky animal ordinances overview
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