Posted: June 29, 2009, 5 a.m. EDT
California Senate Bill 250, a measure that seeks to require spay or neuter surgery for most of the state’s dogs and cats, will be heard by the Assembly Business and Professions Committee on June 30.
The bill was sent to the Assembly when the State Senate approved SB 250 with a 21-16 vote on June 2.
SB 250, by Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, calls on cat owners to spay or neuter their cats at 6 months of age if the cats are allowed to roam at large. The bill also requires the sterilization of all dogs at 6 months of age, unless the owner gets an unaltered dog license.
The bill has been amended to authorize local governments to use existing procedures to issue the intact dog licenses or to charge a fee for procedures related to the issuance, denial or revocation of unaltered dog licenses. In addition, unaltered dogs used in legal hunting activities would be exempt from being cited.
The sterilization of dogs found to be at-large continues to be a requirement under the bill.