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.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Kern County, CA
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Kern County, CA
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Kern County, CA
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Kern County, CA
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Kern County, CA
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Kern County, CA
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See how Kern County's mandatory spay/neuter rules stack up against other locations.
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