Clovis, CA Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- CMC § 6.1.406
- Trigger
- Dog/cat impounded at shelter, not yet chipped
- Cost responsibility
- Owner, via the impound fee
- Owner's ongoing duty
- Keep chip registry info current
- Related rule
- Vicious-animal release also requires a chip
- Enforcing agency
- Clovis Animal Services
Summary
Clovis doesn't require every pet owner to microchip their animal, but Municipal Code § 6.1.406 requires Animal Services to implant a microchip in every dog or cat impounded at the Clovis Animal Shelter that isn't already chipped, and bills the implantation cost to the owner as part of the impound fee.
Animal Services shall implant each dog or cat impounded at the Animal Shelter, not previously microchipped, with a microchip identification device. The owner of such dog or cat shall be obligated to pay for the cost associated with the implantation of the microchip identification device as part of the impound fee. It shall be the owner's responsibility to have correct and current information registered with the microchip company at all times.
Full Breakdown
The microchip mandate is impound-triggered, not a general pet-ownership requirement: it applies only when a dog or cat actually lands at the Animal Shelter and doesn't already carry a microchip. 406 makes it 'the owner's responsibility to have correct and current information registered with the microchip company at all times,' so an owner who moves or changes phone numbers without updating the chip registry bears the risk of a future impound going unmatched. 406 now includes the microchip cost. 604(a)(4), an animal found vicious that isn't euthanized must be surgically implanted with an identification microchip by a licensed veterinarian at the owner's expense before release, layered on top of the shelter's routine implant-on-impound practice.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 6.1 doesn't create a standalone citation for an owner who fails to update microchip registry information; instead, the consequence flows through the impound and redemption system. An animal cannot be redeemed from the Animal Shelter under § 6.1.408 until the owner pays the impound fee, which includes the microchip implantation cost the owner is obligated to cover under § 6.1.406. For a vicious-animal release, failing to arrange and pay for the required microchip within the disposition process can result in the animal being treated as abandoned and disposed of under § 6.1.410.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Clovis require all dogs and cats to be microchipped?
Who pays for the microchip if my dog is impounded in Clovis?
What if I move and my microchip information is outdated?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clovis
California rules heatmap·Compare Clovis to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Microchipping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fresno County handle microchipping.