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Springfield, MA Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Trigger
unaltered dog/cat found at large
Fine
$100, waivable
Proof window
10 days
Who waives it
City Clerk

Summary

Owners of an unaltered dog or cat over six months caught at large in Springfield, Massachusetts face a $100 fine unless they have the animal spayed or neutered within 10 days and prove it to the City Clerk.

The owner of a reproductively whole dog or cat over the age of six months found to be at large shall be subject to a fine of $100 per violation. The owner of the dog or cat shall have the option of paying this fine of $100 or, in the alternative, the owner may, within 10 days of the violation, have the dog or cat spayed or neutered.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4680006; v21 updated 2025-12-15; through 12-15-2025).

Full Breakdown

Springfield's animal control ordinance gives owners of a reproductively whole dog or cat found at large a choice: pay a $100 fine, or have the animal spayed or neutered within 10 days and submit the veterinarian's written proof to the City Clerk, who then waives the fine. It's a financial incentive tied to a specific violation, not a blanket spay/neuter mandate for every pet in the city. Repeat offenders face a harder rule: a third at-large violation makes sterilization compulsory. Hampden County has no county government; Springfield's own Animal Control Officers enforce this.

Violations & Fines

Base fine: $100 per at-large violation of a reproductively whole animal, waivable only by proof of sterilization within 10 days; unresolved fines become a lien and block future licensing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Springfield require all dogs to be spayed or neutered?
No: only a reproductively whole dog or cat caught at large is affected, and the owner can pay a $100 fine instead.
What happens on a third at-large violation?
Under § 110-5.C(2), sterilization stops being optional: the animal must be surgically sterilized before it's returned to the owner.

Sources & Official References

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All Springfield rules

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