Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 31101. Section 31101.
Any dog which is found running at large without the identification tag or dog license tag which is required pursuant to Section 30951 may be seized and impounded by any peace officer.
ARTICLE 1. Generally [31101. - 31109.]
Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC 1.
in effectCal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 31102. Section 31102.
Except in an area in which the provisions of Article 2 (commencing with Section 31151) of this chapter apply or as otherwise provided in Section 31104, any person may kill any dog in any of the following cases:
(a)
The dog is found in the act of killing, wounding, or persistently pursuing or worrying livestock or poultry on land or premises which are not owned or possessed by the owner of the dog.
(b)
The person has such proof as conclusively shows that the dog has been recently engaged in killing or wounding livestock or poultry on land or premises which are not owned or possessed by the dog’s owner.
No action, civil or criminal, shall be maintained for the killing of any such dog.
Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 31103. Section 31103.
Except in an area in which the provisions of Article 2 (commencing with Section 31151) of this chapter apply or as otherwise provided in Section 31104, any dog entering any enclosed or unenclosed property upon which livestock or poultry are confined may be seized or killed by the owner or tenant of the property or by any employee of the owner or tenant. No action, civil or criminal, shall be maintained against the owner, tenant, or employee for the seizure or killing of any such dog.
Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 31104. Section 31104.
The provisions of Sections 31102 and 31103 shall not apply to any dog which is inside the corporate limits of any city, or city and county, or to any dog which is under the reasonable control of his owner or keeper, unless the dog is actually caught in the act or worrying, wounding, chasing, or killing any livestock or poultry.
Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 31105. Section 31105.
The board of supervisors shall provide for both of the following:
(a)
The taking up and impounding of all dogs which are found running at large in violation of any provision of this division.
(b)
The killing in some humane manner or other disposition of any dog which is impounded.
Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 31106. Section 31106.
The board of supervisors may appoint proper persons to take up, impound, and kill dogs pursuant to this division or it may enter into a contract with any humane society or other organization or association which will do both of the following:
(a)
Undertake to carry out the provisions of this division regarding the taking up, impounding, and killing of dogs.
(b)
Give a proper bond in whatever amount may be fixed by the board of supervisors for the faithful performance of the contract.
Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 31107. Section 31107.
No dog which is impounded pursuant to this division shall be killed or otherwise disposed of without notice to the owner, if he is known.
Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 31108. Section 31108.
(a)
(1)
The required holding period for a stray dog impounded pursuant to this division shall be six business days, not including the day of impoundment, except as follows:
(A)
If the public or private shelter has made the dog available for owner redemption on one weekday evening until at least 7 p.m. or one weekend day, the holding period shall be four business days, not including the day of impoundment.
(B)
If the public or private shelter has fewer than three full-time employees or is not open during all regular weekday business hours, and if it has established a procedure to enable owners to reclaim their dogs by appointment at a mutually agreeable time when the public or
private shelter would otherwise be closed, the holding period shall be four business days, not including the day of impoundment.
(2)
Except as provided in Section 17006, stray dogs shall be held for owner redemption during the first three days of the holding period, not including the day of impoundment, and shall be available for owner redemption or adoption for the remainder of the holding period.
(b)
(1)
Except as provided in Section 17006, a stray dog that is impounded pursuant to this division shall, before the euthanasia of that animal, be released to a nonprofit, as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, animal rescue, or adoption organization if requested by the organization before the scheduled euthanasia of that animal. The public or private shelter may enter into cooperative agreements with an animal rescue or adoption
organization. In addition to a required spay or neuter deposit, the public or private shelter, at its discretion, may assess a fee, not to exceed the standard adoption fee, for animals adopted or released.
(2)
A puppy under eight weeks of age that is reasonably believed to be unowned and is impounded in a public or private shelter may, before the euthanasia of that animal, be made immediately available for release to a nonprofit, as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, animal rescue, or adoption organization if requested by the organization.
(c)
During the holding period required by this section and before the adoption or euthanasia of a dog impounded pursuant to this division, a public or private shelter shall scan the dog for a microchip that identifies the owner of that dog and shall make reasonable efforts to contact the owner and notify the owner that
the owner’s dog is impounded and is available for redemption.
(d)
As used in this division, a “business day” includes any day that a public or private shelter is open to the public for at least four hours, excluding state holidays.
Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 31108.3. Section 31108.3.
(a)
(1)
Except as provided in subdivision (b), a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group shall not release a dog to an owner seeking to reclaim it, or adopt out, sell, or give away a dog to a new owner, unless either of the following conditions is met:
(A)
The dog is microchipped with current information on the owner reclaiming the dog or new owner receiving the dog, as applicable, and the owner or new owner is registered with the microchip registry company as the primary owner of the dog. The public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of
cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group shall not be registered with a microchip registry company as the primary owner of the dog. Upon adoption, sale, giving away, or transfer of ownership, the public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group shall provide information on the transference of ownership, including microchip company information, the microchip number and any other relevant identifiers, and any other information needed for an owner or new owner to register themselves as the microchip’s primary contact, as applicable.
(B)
If the agency, shelter, or group does not have microchipping capability on location, the agency, shelter, or group first obtains from the owner reclaiming the dog or new owner receiving the dog
an agreement that requires the owner or new owner to present to the agency, shelter, or group, within the next 30 days, proof that the dog is microchipped as described in subparagraph (A).
(2)
If the agency, shelter, or group does not have microchipping capability on location, the agency, shelter, or group shall make a good faith effort to maintain a list of local and regional free or discounted regional microchipping services and provide that information to the owner or new owner.
(3)
An agency, shelter, or group may require proof that the dog is microchipped pursuant to paragraph (1) before releasing, adopting out, selling, or giving away the dog. If a dog has a preexisting microchip or there is reasonable proof of ownership, the agency, shelter, or group shall document and retain
a record of all efforts made to contact the microchip’s primary registrant or other demonstrated owner for at least two years.
(4)
For purposes of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), an owner reclaiming a dog or new owner receiving a dog is not required to register the dog’s microchip number with a microchip registry company that will use, without the owner’s or new owner’s consent, the personal information of the owner or new owner for purposes other than to reunite the owner or new owner with the dog.
(b)
(1)
Notwithstanding subdivision (a), this section does not require a dog to be microchipped if a licensed veterinarian certifies in writing that the dog is medically unfit for the microchipping procedure because the dog has a physical condition that
would be substantially aggravated by the procedure.
(2)
Notwithstanding subdivision (a), this section does not require a dog to be microchipped if the agency, shelter, or group receives a signed form from the owner reclaiming the dog or new owner receiving the dog that states that the cost of microchipping would impose an economic hardship for the owner or new owner.
(c)
(1)
An agency, shelter, or group that violates this section on or after January 1, 2022, is subject to a civil penalty of one hundred dollars ($100).
(2)
Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 31401) and Section 9 do not apply to a violation of this section.
(3)
An agency, shelter,
or group that does not have microchipping capability on location is not subject to the civil penalty described in this subdivision upon obtaining the agreement described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).
(d)
This section does not apply to a dog that is temporarily housed under an emergency evacuation order.
Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 31108.5. Section 31108.5.
(a)
(1)
Upon relinquishment of a dog to a public or private shelter, the owner of that dog shall present sufficient identification to establish his or her ownership of the dog and shall sign a statement that he or she is the lawful owner of the dog.
(2)
Any person who provides false information pursuant to this subdivision about his or her ownership of the dog shall be liable to the true owner of the dog in the amount of one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(b)
Upon relinquishment, the dog may be made available for immediate euthanasia if it has a history of vicious or dangerous behavior documented by the agency charged with enforcing state and local animal laws.
Cal. Food and Agricultural Code - FAC § 31109. Section 31109.
Any dog which is found straying on any farm where livestock are kept, which has attached to its collar the identification tag or dog license tag prescribed by Section 30951, may be taken up, impounded, and detained in the same manner as described in this division. The person taking up the dog may recover from the owner, in any court having jurisdiction, the fees fixed by the board of supervisors for taking up and keeping unlicensed and unidentified dogs, together with costs.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026