Licensing Pets​

Reminder bills are sent out when licenses are due and there is a small fine for late renewals.

Contact us at CountyAnimalCare@saccounty.net for any of the following: Change of address or phone number, inactivate a license, or death of your pet and the need to cancel the pet license.  Please include the pet's name and license information.

Come to the shelter with your licensing paperwork, identification, and proof of rabies shots and spay/neutering. Once the information has been verified, staff will make a new license on the spot. 

Wednesdays and Thursdays are the least busy days at the shelter. You may also submit the above information by mail. 

This process cannot be done at veterinarian offices. There is a $5 replacement fee.

Call the shelter at 368-7387 and let staff know. They will update your records.

Yes. All licensing paperwork for more than one animal can be put in a single envelope. One check can be written for more than one pet.

Citations for unlicensed animals need to be cleared at our facility within seven (7) days.

To clear the citation and purchase your new license, provide a copy of the citation, a current rabies certificate valid for at least one year and a copy of the spay/neuter certificate, if appropriate.

The minimum fee to clear the citation and purchase a license is $25. Uncleared citations are sent to the court after seven (7) days.  

Information about the court is located on your citation. Other citations, such as animals at large, kennel/cattery or cruelty cases must be cleared through the court.

Please contact the Animal Shelter at CountyAnimalCare@saccounty.net to report this issue.

It is important to keep your animals licensed. If your pet gets lost and is brought into the shelter, we will have no way of contacting you. 

If you are cited for not having a license you will have to purchase the license and then come to the shelter to have your citation cleared within 7 days. 

If this is not done the citation will be sent to court. At court you may receive a citation fee ($81.00 plus court cost of $15.00). You will still need to purchase a license.

Citations for unlicensed animals need to be cleared at our facility within seven (7) days.

To clear the citation and purchase your new license, provide a copy of the citation, a current rabies certificate valid for at least one year, and a copy of the spay/neuter certificate, if appropriate.  

The minimum fee to clear the citation and purchase a license is $25. Uncleared citations are sent to the court after seven (7) days. Information about the court is located on your citation. 

Other citations, such as animals at large, kennel/cattery or cruelty cases must be cleared through the court.

Simply email us at CountyAnimalCare@saccounty.net or mail us a letter with the relevant information.

All dogs and cats have to be licensed, according to Sacramento County ordinances. Outdoor cats must be licensed as well. Licenses must be renewed when they expire. 

It is quite common for indoor cats to accidentally get out. Without a license your cat may not be returned to you. 

All cats should have ID—thousands of cats are euthanized at local shelters because their owners cannot be notified that the cat has arrived at a shelter.​

No. Your tag is a permanent tag that is to be worn by your animal at all times.

Yes.

Competition (Show) Dogs

• The Reduced Unaltered License is available to owners whose animals are registered with a valid registry such as AKC, UKC or CFA and are actively showing or have competed during the previous 12 months, or the animal has achieved titles from a purebred dog or cat registry.
• For a recently purchased animal or is too young for competition, a letter from the animal's breeder stating show quality and intent to show and a copy of the animal's pedigree will meet requirements.
• Competition proof can consist of an entry fee cancelled check or entry catalog photocopy showing owner and animal name and show date.

Working Ranch Dogs

• Working ranch dogs are defined as a dog that has been trained and is used to herd/guard livestock, and the dog owner resides on or is the owner of property designated in the Sacramento County Zoning Code for agricultural use.
• For a working dog, Reduced Unaltered License, submit a letter with the address and property zoning, as well as the training and use of the dog.

• Must be applied for and purchased at the Shelter. For more information, email CountyAnimalCare@SacCounty.net or call 916-368-7387 #7.
• Owners can purchase multi-year licenses (one, two, or three years). The license must equal the number of years on the rabies certificate. Contact your veterinarian about multi-year-effectiveness rabies vaccinations.
• Reduced Unaltered License Fee

Per Title 8, Code 8.24.030, Section M 1, 2, 3: the following are excused from ordinarily applicable license fee requirements, as specified:

• No fee shall be charged for working dogs that are documented as having been appropriately trained and actively used by law enforcement agencies for law enforcement purposes.
• A fee shall not be levied for any dog license issued for a seeing-eye dog owned by a blind or partially blind person or for any dog duly trained and registered with a training agency to assist a disabled person when such dog is actively used for the purposed trained.

To obtain a service animal tag:

• Owners must come into the shelter in person.
• If the animal is a seeing-eye dog or is duly trained and registered with a training agency, no standard license is required to be purchased.
• All other uses must purchase a license and provide proof of rabies vaccination and spay/neuter and/or license certificate, if applicable.

Animals certified in writing by a licensed veterinarian to be too young, too old, or generally not healthy enough for spay/neuter surgery may receive an exemption and will be assessed for the Altered License fee. 

For young animals, a one-year Altered License may be obtained, and when the license is renewed, the owner can bring proof of spay/neuter and pay the Altered License fee for one to three years.