An act to add Section 32005 to the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to animals. Existing law regulates the ownership of dogs and cats, as specified. The bill would make it a crime for any person to own, harbor, or keep any dog or cat over the age of 4 months, unless that dog or cat has been micro-chipped and the owner's identification has been entered into a national registry approved by the Department of Food and Agriculture. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program upon local governments. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state.
Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. It is unlawful for any person to own, harbor, or keep any dog or cat over the age of four months, unless that dog or cat has been micro-chipped and the owner's identification has been entered into a national registry approved by the Department of Food and Agriculture. Those who resist face criminal penalties. But backers insist the proposal isn't some Big Brother nightmare. Instead, they say, it's a way to use advanced technology to rescue tens of thousands of animals and save millions of taxpayer dollars on animal shelter operations.