Yes, a person is required to purchase a City of Sacramento pet license if he/she owns a dog or a cat that is 4 months of age or older. According to city code 9.44.490(A), a license authorizes a person to own, harbor, and keep a dog or cat within the city limits of Sacramento.

Your dog or cat will need a rabies vaccination administered by a veterinarian, and you must provide a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate. If your dog or cat is spayed or neutered, then you will need to provide proof of spay or neuter in order to receive a discount on the license fee. For more info, please see our Licensing page.

Yes, a rabies vaccination is mandatory before the issuance of a new license. You must submit a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate that was issued by a veterinarian. The license is only valid during the period that the rabies vaccination is effective, so please make sure that the rabies vaccination has not expired or is not expiring soon.

If your pet is spayed or neutered, you will need tosubmit a copy of the spay/neuter certificate issued by a veterinarian. We will also accept a veterinary bill detailing the spay or neuter surgery or a rabies vaccination certificate that indicates a pet has been verified as being spayed or neutered.

You may pay your license online or you may download a license application and apply by mail. For more info, please see our Licensing page.

Yes, a pet owner is eligible to receive a 1-year license at no-charge if (1) he/she resides within the city limits of Sacramento, (2) his/her pet is spayed or neutered, and (3) he/she participates in one of the following programs:

• Lifeline (AT&T)
• PG&E and SMUD Assistance Programs
• City Utility Rate Assistance Program

Proof of program participation is required. You must apply by mail, so please download and fill out the license application. 

We offer a senior citizen discount for those who are 62 years of age or older AND whose pet is spayed or neutered. We require proof of age, such as a copy of a driver's license, an identification card, or any official document stating your identity and your age.

• Registration with a national animal registry
• Participation in sanctioned show within last 12 months
• Dog or cat cannot be bred during period of the license

Proof of national animal registry and proof of show participation are required. You must apply by mail, so please download and fill out the license application. 

A license will expire on the anniversary date (i.e. same day and month) of the rabies vaccination given date. License expiration is NOT based on the day when the license was purchased.

The length of a license is dependent on the length of the rabies vaccination. Licenses may be purchased for 1 year, 2 years, or 3 years. In order to qualify for a 2-year license or 3-year license, the rabies vaccination must be valid for the next 2 years or 3 years, respectively. For example, if you wish to purchase a 3-year license this year, then the rabies vaccination must be valid for the next three years. A license cannot expire after the rabies vaccination expiration date. In order for a license to be valid, the rabies vaccination must be valid for the same period of time as the license.

If your pet's license tag goes missing or the writing becomes illegible, you may request a replacement tag for $5. You can purchase a replacement tag by mail or online. If you requesting by mail, please send a check or money order as well as a note with the registered owner's name and address and the pet's name.

The fee for a 1-year chicken license is $10 and for a 1-year chicken coop permit is $15. A chicken license(s) and permit must be renewed annually. Each chicken must have its own license, and you are only required to purchase one (1) chicken coop permit per year. To purchase your license(s) and permit online or to download an application and apply by mail, please see our Licensing page. 

• A maximum of three (3) chickens per residential parcel
• Roosters are prohibited
• Slaughtering are prohibited
• Coop may not be closer than 20 feet to the nearest neighboring dwelling
• Chickens must be confined and properly caged in a coop at all times
• Chickens are prohibited from being a noise disturbance
• Coop must be well-maintained and clean and be a minimum of 15 square feet and a maximum of 42 square feet
• Coop must have four walls and a roof and be constructed of suitable material
• Coop may only be kept in the rear yard
• Nesting boxes in the coop are required
• Chickens must be provided with adequate food, water, and ventilation
• Feed must be stored properly to prevent spoilage and to prevent access to other animals and rodents
• Feces and feathers must be removed every 24 hours and shall be stored in an air tight container prior to disposal. Use of city issued garbage containers is acceptable.

A microchip is inserted into the scruff of the animal's neck. When an animal comes into a shelter, an animal care technician scans the animal's body with a portable, hand-held scanner. If an animal has a microchip, an identification number will register on the scanner. The technician will call the appropriate microchip company and provide the microchip number to the company, who can check their computer database for the registered owner's name, address, and phone number(s). Afterwards, the shelter will attempt to make contact with the owner. Please note that a microchip is NOT a GPS device or tracking device.

Any shelter or vet can microchip your pet. Our shelter charges $5 per microchip, which includes microchip registration with the Found Animals, who maintains a nationwide database of microchips. Microchip registration and updates are free for the life of your pet. If you already have a pet that is chipped, you may add it to your existing Found Animals account at any time, free of charge, regardless of the microchip brand.

Also, a microchip is included with any dog or cat adoption and is offered free-of-charge to pet owners who reclaim their lost pet at our shelter. The more pets we chip, the fewer end up in shelters, lost and alone.

• 24PetWatch - 866-597-2424 - contains 10 digits and begins with "0A"
• AVID - 800-336-2843 - contains 9 digits with numerals only
• Banfield - 800-838-6738 - contains 10 digits and begins with "0D"
• Home Again - 866-738-4324 - contains 10 digits with numerals and/or letter(s)
• ResQ/PetLink - 877-738-5465 - contains 15 digits and begins with "98102"

Each household within the city limits of Sacramento is allowed to have no more than 3 dogs and 7 cats. A dog is counted towards that limit if the dog is over the age of 4 months, while a cat is counted towards that limit if the cat is over the age of 2 months (see Sacramento City Code 9.44.370).

In addition, it is permissible for a resident within the city limits of Sacramento to own a potbelly pig. A potbelly pig cannot be more than 22 inches high at the shoulder or weigh more than 150 pounds. Also, any male potbelly pig over the age of 4 months must be neutered (see Sacramento City Code 9.44.320). The number of potbelly pigs allowed is no more than 3, however, this limit is connected to the limit of dogs. In other words, a resident is not allowed more than a combination of 3 dogs and potbelly pigs.

Sacramento is divided into two parts: the city limits and the county limits. The easiest way to distinguish whether you are in the city or county limits is to view your street sign attached to the pole, street lights, traffic light, or any other structure on the corner of the street. If it is green colored, then you are in the city limits. If it is white colored, then you are in the county limits.

Also, If you are serviced by the Sacramento Police, then you are in the city limits. If you are serviced by the Sacramento County Sheriffs, then you are in the county limits.

Animal control service is based on jurisdiction. The Front Street Animal Shelter responds to calls within the city limits and accepts animals only from residents who reside within the city limits of Sacramento. The Sacramento County Animal Care and Regulation responds to call from residents within the county limits.

Check out the list of off-leash dog parks in the City of Sacramento as well as the dog park rules.

You can use an anti-barking training device, such as a static-shock collar and a citronella-spray collar. They can be purchased at most local pet stores.

You may consult with a local animal behaviorist, who can be referred to you by your veterinarian, the Sacramento Dog Training Club at (916) 482-5194, or the Sacramento Council of Dog Clubs at (916) 483-3602.

For additional information, check out the shelter's Barking Complaints & Solutions section.

If at all possible, we recommend speaking to the dog owner first before contacting animal control. You may also want to speak to your neighbors and see if it they have the same problem as you do. We advise you to keep a written log so that you can document the times and the duration of the barking, the contact you may have with the owner or with animal control, etc.

For additional information, check out the shelter's comprehensive Barking Complaints & Solutions section.

Within the city limits of Sacramento, cats are recognized as free-roaming animals, regardless of whether they are owned, stray, friendly or feral. Unlike dogs, cats may roam freely throughout the city, are not required to be on a leash, and do not need to be confined onto the owner's property.

To prevent stray cats from overrunning your property, from being a nuisance, and from constantly breeding, you may pick them up and confine them in an enclosure (such as a cardboard cat carrier, a sturdy box with a lid and holes for ventilation, or a cat crate/carrier) if they are friendly.

However, if they are aggressive or timid, we highly recommend trapping them in a humane manner. The City of Sacramento Animal Care Services does not offer the service of trapping cats nor renting or selling traps. You may rent or purchase a humane cat trap at a local feed store, such as Western Feed (1600 34th Street, Sacramento CA 95816. 916-452-4741).

Also, the City of Sacramento Animal Care Services does NOT offer pick-up service for stray cats that have been contained or trapped. You may surrender a stray cat at the shelter's Reception Center. This building is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is located about 100 feet north of the shelter's Main Building.

Effective January 1, 2007, California law prohibits tethering, chaining, fastening, or restraining of dogs to any stationary object. Violations can be punished by a fine up to $1000 and/or 6 months in jail.

Chained or tethered dogs can injure or strangle themselves to death when their chains or tethers become entangled with other objects, or their collars become embedded in their necks. Also, chained or tethered dogs can become aggressive due to intense confinement, lack of socialization, and the inability to escape from perceived threats, and are more likely to bite or attack someone who approaches.

However, an owner is permitted to attach a dog to a running line, pulley, or trolley system (use of a choke collar or pinch collar is prohibited). An owner may also tether a dog pursuant to requirements of a camping or recreational area or tether a dog no longer than is necessary to complete a temporary task that requires the dog to be restrained for a reasonable period (i.e. cannot exceed 3 hours in a 24-hour period).

Effective November 1, 2011, residents within the city limits of Sacramento may own a maximum of three (3) chickens per residential parcel. For more info, please read the requirements for keeping chickens.

The Front Street Animal Shelter no longer responds to calls of trapped healthy wildlife. Specifically, we do not trap nor relocate healthy wildlife. Because relocation violates federal law and the only other option is extermination, we cannot in good conscience exterminate healthy, viable animals.

The city of Sacramento is situated around two major rivers that produce an abundant population of wildlife, whereby residents must learn to cohabitate with in order to preserve the natural conditions and habitats of this region.

A citizen seeking alternatives may try one of the following options:

• Contact the County Wildlife Trapper at 916-875-6603.

• Contact private wildlife companies, such as Creature Catchers (530-885-7378) and Critter Control (800-700-8715).

The Humane Society of the United States offers humane solutions to resolving wildlife conflicts. Check out their informative guide .

You can check out the website of the following organizations and contact them for more info:

• Western Farm Center website
• Animal Place website

In addition, if you happen to be interested in adopting a chicken, you may contact the above organizations.

According to the most recent study by the American Pet Products Association, total U.S. pet expenditures in 2015 were $60.28 billion. 

That same report found that 65% of the 79.7 million households in the U.S. have at least one pet, meaning the average home spends $756.33 per year, or $63.03 monthly, on pet-related purchases.

For the complete article, please read The Ultimate Guide To Saving Money On Pet Care. 

NOTE: This article is simply a resource guide and is NOT affiliated with the Front Street Animal Shelter.

Home is a place where every life should be safe and protected from potential threats. When family members can't take steps to protect themselves, it is up to those who can to ensure their safety. For many, pets are considered a part of the family, and as with infants or small children, they must be protected from things that can harm them. The best way to do that is to pet-proof the home.

For the complete article, please read Pet-Proofing - Keeping Your Home & Yard Safe for Dogs or Cats. 

NOTE: This article is simply a resource guide and is NOT affiliated with the Front Street Animal Shelter.

Rabies is a very serious disease that affects the brain and spinal cord of mammals (if an animal has hair or fur, it is a mammal). Cats, dogs, raccoons, coyotes and foxes are mammals, as are people. Rabies is caused by a virus and almost always causes death. It is usually a disease of animals, but it can spread from an infected animal to a person.