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Hanford, CA Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)

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

Key Facts

Trigger
impoundment at city shelter
Cost
billed to owner in impound fee
Registry duty
owner keeps info current
Blanket mandate
none for un-impounded pets

Summary

Hanford's animal shelter must microchip every dog and cat it impounds that isn't already chipped, billing the implant cost to the owner as part of the impound fee.

Animal services shall implant each dog and 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 city or the city's designee at all times.

B. Except as otherwise provided herein, any dog or cat sold, given away or released by the animal shelter or city designee shall be spayed or neutered in accordance with Food and Agricultural Code Section 30503, as may be amended. Male and female animals shall be at least two months of age and have a weight of at least two pounds. An extension of time to perform surgery may be granted by the animal shelter if a veterinarian provides a medical determination that the surgery cannot be performed as scheduled and must be postponed. The facility performing the surgery may spay or neuter an animal weighing less than two pounds if by their determination it is safe to perform said surgery. The city, the animal shelter, or the city's designee may release an un-spayed or unneutered animal if the party receiving the animal possesses or obtains a breeder's permit and pays the required fees, including, without limitation, the cost of boarding, licensing (in the case of a dog), state fees. (Ord. 20-05 § 1, 2020)

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4873707; v4 updated 2026-03-17).

Full Breakdown

Hanford Municipal Code § 6.12.160(A) requires Animal Services to implant a microchip identification device in each dog and cat impounded at the shelter that wasn't previously microchipped. The owner pays for the implantation as part of the impound fee, and it's the owner's responsibility to keep the registered contact information current with the city or its designee. Like the spay/neuter rule in the same section, this reaches animals that pass through the shelter. Hanford doesn't require every resident to microchip a pet that's never been impounded.

Violations & Fines

There's no separate penalty clause for this subsection; the microchip cost is added to the impound fee an owner must pay to redeem the animal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Hanford require all pets to be microchipped?
No, § 6.12.160(A) only requires it for dogs and cats impounded at the city shelter that aren't already chipped.
Who pays for the microchip if my dog is impounded?
You do: the cost is added to the impound fee you pay to get your dog back.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Hanford

All Hanford rules

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