Unincorporated Kern County does not mandate spaying or neutering of pets. Owners of unaltered dogs instead pay higher license fees ($60 per year versus $15 for altered dogs), and California law requires shelters and rescues to sterilize dogs before adoption.
The Kern County Animal Services Commission recommended a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance in 2023, but the Board of Supervisors has not adopted it, so sterilization remains voluntary for privately owned pets. The county instead uses fee incentives: an altered dog license costs $15 for one year or $30 for three years, while an unaltered dog license costs $60 for one year or $120 for three years. The statewide default still applies -- under Food and Agricultural Code section 30503, shelters, humane societies, and rescue groups may not sell or give away any dog that has not been spayed or neutered, with a deposit exception when a veterinarian certifies the dog is too sick or injured for surgery.
There is no penalty for keeping an unaltered pet with a current license. Keeping an unlicensed dog over four months of age violates Kern County Code chapter 7.08 and can result in citations from Kern County Animal Services.
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