Cicero, IL Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Impoundment/redemption, not ownership alone
- Impound fee
- $50.00 plus license and boarding costs
- Alternative
- Signed neuter agreement accepted
- Dangerous-dog mandate
- Neuter required, owner's expense
- Dangerous-dog fine
- $100.00 to $250.00
Summary
Cicero doesn't require spaying or neutering pets generally, but any dog or cat impounded and redeemed must be neutered before release, or the owner must sign a written pledge to have it done. The rule sits in Section 18-44's redemption process for unlicensed impounded animals.
Every animal that is impounded as provided for in this article, for which no license has been obtained, shall be immediately transferred to a facility appropriate for the humane dispatch of such animal. Any person desiring to redeem an animal so impounded may do so by paying the impound fee of $50.00 plus the amount of the license fee for the current license year and a reasonable fee to cover the cost of housing and feeding such animal. No dog or cat shall be released without having an identifying microchip installed under the animal's skin and being neutered. In the alternative, at the discretion of the animal control warden, a dog or cat may be released after execution of a written agreement from the person desiring to redeem the animal that the animal will have an identifying microchip installed and will be neutered.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 121).
Full Breakdown
Cicero's general animal code does not mandate that every owned dog or cat be spayed or neutered; the requirement is triggered specifically by impoundment. " The town builds in a fallback: "In the alternative, at the discretion of the animal control warden, a dog or cat may be released after execution of a written agreement from the person desiring to redeem the animal that the animal will have an identifying microchip installed and will be neutered," along with a rabies-inoculation commitment if applicable. Section 18-45 extends the same redemption fee structure, minus the license fee, to licensed animals that are impounded, cross-referencing Section 18-44's neuter and microchip conditions.
Vaccination and other veterinary costs tied to meeting these conditions may be billed to the person redeeming the animal. A separate, narrower spay/neuter mandate applies to dogs the town has formally declared "dangerous" under Section 18-47(b)(3)(e), which requires those animals to be "spayed or neutered at the owner's expense" regardless of impoundment. Outside these two impoundment- and dangerous-dog-triggered situations, Cicero leaves the decision to spay or neuter to the pet owner.
Violations & Fines
Redeeming an impounded dog or cat without arranging the required neuter, directly or via signed agreement, means the animal control warden will not release the animal under Section 18-44. An owner of a declared dangerous dog who fails to have the animal spayed or neutered at the owner's expense violates Section 18-47(b)(3)(e) and, under subsection (f), faces a $100.00 to $250.00 fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cicero require me to spay or neuter my pet?
Can I avoid neutering my impounded dog to get it back?
Is spay/neuter required for dogs Cicero calls dangerous?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cicero
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