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SB 250 does not outlaw unaltered animals. If a dog is currently licensed and the owner is following current animal laws, SB 250 has no effect on them. If your cat does not roam outdoors, it can remain unaltered.

SB 250 does not cost the state any money, and SB 250 does not implement any new fines or fees. In reality, similar laws reduce costs and increase revenues through increased licensing.

Similar laws have not resulted in more animals being surrendered by owners.

Similiar laws have resulted in increased licensing of pets, and decreased shelter intake and euthanasia.

SB 250 does not allow animal control to seize animals.

SB 250 does not allow animal control to automatically spay or neuter your pets. Only if an unlicensed, unaltered dog or roaming, unaltered cat is impounded, does animal control have the option to require a spay or neuter, but the responsibility falls on the owner.

SB 250 is NOT mandatory spay and neuter. Anyone can still have an unaltered animal.

SB 250 does not affect feral cat caregivers. The bill applies only to pets that live on your property.

California’s SB 250
The Pet Responsibility Act

Each year, over $250 million dollars is spent housing and euthanizing homeless dogs and cats in California¹. Approximately 1 million dogs and cats enter California’s shelters each year, and over half of them are euthanized (killed) simply because there are not enough homes².

This enormous number of homeless pets actually means that every dog born in the state of California today has nearly a 1 in 4 chance of ultimately becoming homeless and dying in a shelter³. Two-thirds of the cats entering California shelters are euthanized². And, the number of dogs and cats entering our shelters is currently on the rise².

SB 250 provides a reasonable, fiscally responsible step towards reducing pet overpopulation in California. The bill simply requires that dogs be spayed or neutered unless their owner/guardian obtains an unaltered dog license when they license their animal.

SB 250 also requires that roaming cats be spayed and neutered by their owner/guardian.

SB 250 The Pet Responsibility Act, is:

• Fair. Licensed dogs may be left unaltered if the owner/ guardian chooses. Owners cited for violating local or state laws may have their license revoked or be required to spay or neuter.
• Fiscally responsible. SB 250 saves the state millions of dollars by reducing homeless pets.
• Proven. Spay and neuter laws have been shown effective for over 10 years. In one community, the number of homeless animals was reduced by over 60% after a similar law was implemented⁴.
• Forward thinking. Similar spay and neuter legislation is currently being introduced across the country, as legislators nationwide confront the high costs associated with pet overpopulation.
• Provides due process. A full and fair hearing process is provided for matters related to citations.
• Flexible. License costs, fines and implementation details are at the discretion of local jurisdictions.
• Widely supported. A diverse coalition of elected officials, law enforcement agencies, city and county agencies, humane societies and SPCAs, veterinarians and veterinary hospitals, national animal welfare organizations, California rescue organizations, and thousands of individuals and organizations support spay and neuter legislation like SB 250.

The time has come for SB 250 The Pet Responsibility Act, a common sense, fiscally responsible method for reducing California’s tragic, expensive pet overpopulation crisis.