Lawton, Oklahoma

• Dogs and cats must be spayed or neutered unless the owner has a license for an unaltered animal. Some exceptions apply.

5-1-105 Sterilization Spay/Neuter.

It is the purpose of this section to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the residents of the city by reducing the number of stray dogs and cats. The council finds that each year thousands of dogs and cats are euthanized by the city because they are not wanted. The provisions of this section are designed to eliminate the excessive numbers of unwanted animals and thereby stop the needless killing of these animals by restricting the breeding, advertising and/or transfer practices of local pet owners, pet stores, and breeders through measures that are both reasonable and enforceable.

A. No person shall own or keep any dog or cat over the age of six (6) months that has not been spayed or neutered unless such person holds a “B” license for an intact dog or cat, issued for such animal under Section 5-5-501 of this code.

B. Any person intentionally providing care or sustenance for a dog or cat for 10 days or more shall be deemed the owner of such dog or cat and shall comply with all provisions of this chapter.

C. Notwithstanding the provisions of this code, any person cited for a violation of subsection A of this section shall have his or her citation(s) dismissed, excluding court cost, if they can provide proof of compliance with the spay/neuter terms of this section within fourteen (14) calendar days of the date of the summons or by the date of arraignment.

D. Certain animals are exempted from the spay neuter provision.

1. Dogs documented as having been appropriately trained and actually being used by public law enforcement agencies for law enforcement activities;

2. Dogs documented as having been appropriately trained and actually being used by search and rescue agencies for search and rescue activities;

3. Dogs or cats held at the city animal shelter and veterinary hospitals;

4. Dogs or cats whose owner has registered such animal and hold a current intact animal license, and are in possession of a certification signed by a licensed veterinarian stating that such animal is unfit to be spayed or neutered because such procedure would endanger the life of such animal. Said animals will not be allowed to breed or reproduce.

E. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of subsection A of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment in the city jail for not more than thirty (30) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment and will be ordered by the court to comply with the spay/neuter requirements of this section or face additional citation(s).

(97-33, Repealed, 07/22/1997)

(Ord. 2007-06, Amended, 03/15/2007)