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

010 makes it unlawful to own, keep or exercise control over, or harbor an unaltered and unspayed dog or cat over the age of six months without complying with the chapter. A dog owner must get the animal sterilized, produce a veterinarian's certificate of sterility, or obtain an unaltered dog license; a cat owner must sterilize the cat or produce a certificate of sterility, since the city does not issue unaltered cat licenses. 010(B) cover an animal a licensed California veterinarian certifies would face serious harm or death if altered at that time, law-enforcement dogs, trained guide, signal, or service dogs, and show, competition, or breeding dogs and cats registered with a recognized club such as the AKC, UKC, CFA, or TICA that have competed, earned a title, or whose owner belongs to an approved breed club within the last year.

020 is available only to dogs meeting one of those exemptions, and an application with the required fee must be filed. 040 lets the owner appeal that decision in writing within 10 days to the city manager. 050 is not released until a certificate of sterility is produced or the animal is sterilized by a city-approved veterinarian at the owner's expense.