Animal care and control field officers this week traveled through the streets and parks of Palmdale, Llano, Pearblossom and Littlerock to enforce pet licensing and spay/neuter laws.
Dog and cat owners in unincorporated areas of the county are required to license and microchip their pets. Dogs and cats must also be spayed or neutered, with some exemptions for competition, breeding and service dogs and pets with health problems.
The Department of Animal Care and Control said it receives about 70,000 unwanted animals each year and urged responsible pet owners to avoid unplanned litters by following the spay and neuter law.
State law also requires that all dogs at least four months old be vaccinated against rabies. The county requires the same vaccination for cats.
The Department of Animal Care and Control offers low-cost vaccination and microchips and financial assistance for spay and neuter surgeries.
Residents caught not complying with the pet ordinances may be charged license fees, delinquency charges and a $40 field enforcement fee.
More information and license applications can be found online at www.animalcare.lacounty.gov or at any county animal care center.
The Board of Supervisors this week took a major step toward allowing dog parks in unincorporated areas of the county. A 2015 report by the Trust for Public Land indicated that the number of dog parks nationwide has increased by 20 percent since 2012, but the county’s Department of Recreation and Parks operates only one at Crescenta Valley Community Regional Park in La Crescenta.
Residents have identified dog parks as high-
priority projects, and the department is reportedly interested in meeting growing demand for safe spaces where dogs can run off-leash.
