Tangipahoa Parish, LA Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)

Section 10-89 states it's parish public policy that all dogs and cats adopted from the animal control shelter be sterilized prior to release, or as otherwise required in the signed adoption contract, consistent with state law. If an adopter fails to have the animal sterilized as the contract requires, that failure is treated as a breach of contract, exposing the adopter to legal action to seize the animal and collect penalties. Separately, § 10-92 addresses repeat offenders: subsection (a) requires an animal impounded twice within six months to be microchipped and licensed at the owner's expense, and subsection (b) requires any fertile animal impounded twice in that same six-month window to be spayed or neutered, also at the owner's expense, on top of all applicable fees and fines already owed for the impoundments.

The stated purpose behind these sterilization requirements traces to § 10-79(2), which charges the parish animal control department with enforcing laws and policies established "to control the overpopulation of unwanted dogs and cats" alongside protecting animal and human health and safety.