AB 1634, the California Responsible Pet Ownership Act, is a common sense law to help combat pet overpopulation and bites.

The law will allow law enforcement to target roaming dogs and cats, prevent unplanned litters and reduce attacks.

The law requires that a dog or cat to be spayed or neutered, if the animal meets one of the following criteria:

• The dog or cat is repeatedly impounded by animal control or cited for being at large.
   
• The dog or cat is repeatedly cited for being unlicensed as required by current law.

AB 1634 is humane and protects our pets.

Overpopulation of domestic animals forces local animal control agencies in California to euthanize more than half a million dogs and cats every year. AB 1634 offers a humane and cost-effective solution to controlling pet overpopulation.

Local animal control agencies in California are forced to spend over $250 million taxpayer dollars every year to collect, control and euthanize the state's unwanted overpopulation of cats and dogs. Local animal control officials overwhelmingly support AB 1634 because it will control animal overpopulation humanely and reduce local government costs.

Law enforcement officials in California and major law enforcement organizations are supporting AB 1634 because they are drained by the need to deal with millions of homeless cats and dogs that are the result of pet overpopulation. AB 1634 is a humane and cost-effective way to reduce that overpopulation and law enforcement officials to focus on protecting California's citizens.

What AB 1634 will NOT do:

1. AB 1634 will NOT ALLOW police to arrest citizens for lack of compliance.
    
2. AB 1634 will NOT ALLOW animal control officers to confiscate pets for lack of compliance.
    
3. AB 1634 will NOT ALLOW animal control agencies or police personnel to enter private homes to write citations.
    
4. AB 1634 will NOT INCREASE TAXPAYER COSTS – in fact, AB 1634 would do just the opposite by REDUCING the $250 million taxpayers spend every year for local animal control agencies to house and euthanize hundreds of thousands of animals.
    
5. And, AB 1634 will NOT RESULT in a shortage of animals for adoption. In every location where spay and neuter laws have been adopted, there has still been ample homeless animals and mutts for adoption.