Spay/Neuter/Microchip Ordinance
February 3, 2009
It
is the purpose of this section to promote the health, safety and general
welfare of the residents of Liberty County by reducing the number of stray dogs
and cats. Liberty Humane Shelter finds that Liberty County Animal Control and
Fort Stewart Animal Control euthanizes thousands of dogs and cats each year
because they are unwanted or abandoned.
According
to the American Humane Association, an
estimated 9.6 million animals are euthanized in the United States every year.
Out of 1,000 shelters responding to a survey, 2.7 million of 5.3 million
animals or 64% were euthanized. 56% of dogs and 71% of cats that enter shelters
were euthanized. 15% of dogs and 2% of cats were reunited with their owners;
25% of dogs and 24% of cats were adopted. The majority of these are euthanized
at animal shelters, typically after a standard period of time (ranging from several
days to several weeks for unclaimed stray animals). It is the purpose of this
section to eliminate the excessive numbers of unwanted animals and thereby stop
the needless killing of these animals by restricting the irresponsible breeding practices of pet
owners and breeders through legislation that is both reasonable and
enforceable.
Section
I. Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Spaying
and neutering is mandatory for all dogs and cats in Liberty County limits
unless the guardian has obtained an annual unaltered animal license.
No
person shall own or harbor any cat or dog over the age of six (6) months that
has not been spayed or neutered, unless such person holds either a license to
keep an unaltered dog or cat or license and permit for breeding cats or dogs issued
by Liberty County Environmental Health Agency.
Prior
to release for adoption, any animal adopted from any animal welfare agency
shall be spayed or neutered OR must provide the following to the adopters.
*
A written legal contract requiring spay/neuter of the adopted animal within 30
days of adoption and names of local veterinarians and spay/neuter clinics OR
*
Certificate for spay/neuter at a local veterinarian or spay/neuter clinic to be
performed within 30 days of adoption.
The
adoption agency shall maintain records providing proof of spay/neuter for every
animal adopted out and shall provide proof to the authority upon request.
Section
II. Exceptions to Mandatory Spay/Neuter
The following are exceptions to the spay or neuter
requirements:
Medical. A licensed veterinarian has determined that an animal is medically
unsuited to undergo the surgical procedure. A signed statement from a licensed
veterinarian is required and shall state specifically the medical grounds for
the exemption.
Temporary medical. When the animal’s medical condition is temporary in nature, the
licensed veterinarian shall sign a written statement as to the prognosis of
when the surgery may be performed. The date given on that prognosis shall
become the expiration date of the temporary medical exemption. After the period
of the temporary medical exemption, spay or neuter shall be required unless a
licensed veterinarian provides another temporary medical exemption and prognosis of when the surgery
may be performed.
Transitory status. An animal that is temporarily in the Liberty County Limits. When an
animal is temporarily in the county the owner of such animal is required to
have and present, when requested, a certificate of health signed by a licensed
veterinarian.
Organized competitions. Any animal that competes
in organized competitive activities such as but not limited to conformation, agility, obedience, and hunt
trials OR has titles conferred by recognized organizations for participation in
such activities. Owners will be required to provide proof of
participation, OR proof of title and organization awarding the title at time of
annual registration.
Service Animal. Any animal that is a
certified service animal is exempt from the mandatory spay/neuter ordinance.
The animal must be registered with the Environmental Health Agency as a service
animal and provide proper identification and verification for exemption of the
ordinance.
Section
III. Differential Licensing Fees
County
Code outlines a differential licensing program for dogs and cats, as follows:
Unaltered dogs or cats $30.00, spayed/neutered dogs or cats$10.00,
8-24
week old animals $10.00, transfer of Ownership $5.00
Reason: Discrepancy between time of initial Rabies
vaccine and time of spay/neuter will allow owners to register 3-6 month olds
without penalty because they are not old enough to be spayed/neutered.
Section
IV. License to breed permit
A.
A license shall be issued for an unaltered dog or cat if the owner signs a
written statement that such animal will not be allowed to breed unless the
owner has first obtained a breeding license.
B. If the owner wishes to breed an animal, they
must also obtain a breeders license. Breeding license will be $100.00 per
female.
C.
Violators will be fined $ 150.00 and noncompliance shall be considered a
misdemeanor.
Section
V. Breeding
A.
The owner of an unaltered female dog or cat shall not allow the whelping of
more than one litter per female within the permit year. In the event
that a permittee is forced to euthanized a litter of dogs or cats, the
(authority) may authorize the whelping of one additional litter of dogs or cats
within the same permit year. Special permission to have more than one litter a year can
be granted IF sufficient reason is given for doing so responsibly (such as on
the advice of a veterinary reproductive specialist)
B. No offspring may be sold, adopted, bartered, or
otherwise transferred, whether for compensation or otherwise, until it has
reached the age of at least eight (8) weeks AND must be accompanied by a veterinarian issued
health certificate.
C.
No offspring may be sold or adopted until immunized against common diseases appropriate for the age
of the offspring. . The sale or adoption of a dog or cat shall include a statement signed
by the seller or adopter attesting to the signatory’s knowledge of the animal’s
health, and the animal’s immunization history.
D.
Any holder of a breeding permit who advertises to the public the availability
of any dog or cat for sale, adoption, or transfer, whether for compensation or
otherwise, must prominently display the permit number in any such
advertisement. Further, the breeding permit holder must provide the permit
number to any person who purchases, adopts or received any animal from the permit
holder and include the permit number on any receipt of sale or transfer
document.
E.
Commercial establishments selling locally bred dogs or cats shall prominently
display the breeding permit number(s) of the breeder(s) whose dogs and cats are
sold in said establishments and any other pertinent information required by the
authority. Commercial establishments selling dogs and cats which were not
bred within the county limits shall prominently display the name and address of
the breeder(s) of such dogs and cats and any other pertinent information
required by the authority.
F.
Any breeding permit holder selling or otherwise transferring a dog or a cat,
whether for compensation or otherwise, shall submit to the authority the name,
address, and telephone number of the animal’s new owner within five days from
the sale or other transfer, on an approved county (authority) form.
G.
Any breeding permit holder or commercial establishment which sells or otherwise
transfers a dog or cat, whether for compensation or otherwise, shall provide to
the new animal owner the authorized county license application(s) as well as
written information regarding the license and permit requirements of Liberty
County applicable to such animal.
Penalties:
“Fix-It Plan” Any cat or dog owner found by
the authority to be in violation of the breeding permit provision of this
section may correct the violation(s) by providing conclusive proof to the
(agency) that the dog(s) or cat(s) have been spayed or neutered, or by
obtaining the necessary permits(s) mentioned in this section, no later than
forty five days from the date when the (agency) had first notified the owner of
the violation. Should the owner fail to correct the violation(s) in the manner
described above, the authority shall impose a $250.00 civil penalty on the dog
or cat owner. Notice of this penalty shall be served by the authority on the
dog or cat owner. This penalty shall not be waived by the authority upon the
transfer or abandonment of the dog or cat by the non-compliant owner. This
penalty shall be imposed in addition to any other applicable civil or criminal
penalties. Noncompliance of the breeding permit requirement shall be considered
a misdemeanor and shall be prosecuted as such.
The
Environmental Health Agency or Judicial System may revoke any license issued.
Section VII. Mandatory Microchip
Every animal in Liberty County shall be microchipped at 8 weeks of age.
Microchip implantation will be implanted by a licensed veterinarian or approved
agency and registered with the microchip company and Liberty County
Environmental Health Agency. It is the owner’s responsibility to have correct
and current information registered with the microchip company at all times. Every cat and dog that is
sold, adopted, bartered, or otherwise transferred, whether for compensation or
otherwise shall have a microchip.
Exceptions to the mandatory microchip ordinance:
Medical. A licensed veterinarian has determined that an animal is medically
unsuited to undergo the microchip implantation procedure. A signed statement
from a licensed veterinarian is required and shall state specifically the
medical grounds for the exemption.
Temporary medical. When the animal’s medical condition is temporary in nature, the
licensed veterinarian shall sign a written statement as to the prognosis of
when the implantation may be performed. The date given on that prognosis
shall become the expiration date of the temporary medical exemption. After the
period of temporary medical
exemption, microchip implantation shall be required unless a
licensed veterinarian provides another temporary medical exemption and
prognosis of when the implantation may be performed.
Transitory status. An animal which is temporarily in the Liberty County Limits When an
animal is temporarily in the county for breeding purposes, the owner of such
animal is required to have and present, when requested, a certificate of health
signed by a licensed veterinarian.
Penalties: "Chip-It
Plan"
Violation of mandatory microchip ordinance will result in a fine of$50.00 OR
a
10-day extension may be granted to allow for implantation.
Proof of microchip implantation is required within the 10-day
extension or a $75.00 fine will be assessed and noncompliance shall
be prosecuted as a misdemeanor.
Section VIII. Impounded animals:
Any
unaltered animal impounded twice within a 1-year period will be altered at the
owner’s expense prior to redemption. The animal control agency may issue a
spay/neuter certificate paid for by the owner at time of release of animal.
Upon completion of spay/neuter the owner must provide proof to the
Environmental Health Agency. At the option of the owner, a private veterinarian
may perform required spaying or neutering and proof presented to the animal
control agency within a 30-day time limit.
All impounded animals by
animal control will be micro-chipped at owner’s expense before the
animal leaves the animal control facility. This includes animals transferred to
Liberty Humane Shelter or another rescue organization.