The City Council’s Legislation and Environmental Committee voted Monday to advance proposed changes to Stockton’s animal control ordinance. The changes would also allow residents to own a fourth dog or cat if they meet certain sterilization requirements.
Stockton Animal Services continues to face shelter overcrowding and repeated reports of animals roaming loose, according to Animal Services Manager Ashley Kluza.
“We are at capacity on a regular basis,” Kluza told committee members.
The Stockton Animal Shelter reports taking in approximately 8,000 animals annually. In 2024, the shelter admitted 3,829 cats, including 2,736 strays, according to city statistics previously reported by Stocktonia. About 17% of the cats taken in that year were euthanized.
Overcrowding has also prompted the shelter to seek assistance from other facilities. In March, the Stockton Animal Shelter transferred 34 cats and kittens to the San Diego Humane Society to ease overcrowding, bringing the total number of animals transferred between the two cities since December to 63.
The Stockton shelter continues to accept sick, injured and aggressive animals but generally requires appointments for healthy strays. Animal Services also accepts animals involved in confirmed abandonment cases while officers investigate.
Kluza said the department is seeking changes that would give officers additional options when citations and education fail to stop repeated violations.
“Our officers sometimes find themselves responding to the same properties for the same violations repeatedly,” she said. “Simply issuing another citation isn’t clearly solving the issue.”
Repeat violations could carry new consequences
Under the proposed changes, Stockton would impose increasingly strict penalties on owners whose animals repeatedly roam loose.
Under the proposed changes, officers would issue a citation for the first proven violation and provide the owner with information about securing animals and available spay/neuter services. A second violation would prompt another citation and a formal warning that a third violation would require the owner to spay or neuter the animal.
After a third proven and cited violation involving the same animal, the owner would have to arrange the procedure unless a veterinarian certifies that surgery would be medically inappropriate.
Kluza said the department would allow owners time to arrange the procedure, noting that veterinary appointments can take approximately 60 to 90 days to secure.
Currently, officers can issue citations for violations involving animals running at large, but Kluza said repeated penalties do not always resolve the underlying problem.
More pets allowed under proposed changes
The proposal would also allow Stockton residents to keep more pets if they meet certain sterilization requirements.
City regulations currently limit households to three dogs and three cats. Under the proposed amendment, residents could keep a fourth dog if they spay or neuter all dogs in the household, or a fourth cat if they sterilize all owned cats.
The proposed exception would apply to dogs older than four months and cats older than eight weeks. Medical or age-related exemptions would require certification from a licensed veterinarian.
Kluza said the goal is to encourage sterilization without requiring every pet owner in Stockton to participate.
“We want to give residents an incentive to have their animals spayed and neutered, without requiring everyone in the city to do so as a first step,” she said.
The department is not recommending a citywide spay/neuter mandate.
The proposed rules would apply within Stockton city limits, not unincorporated portions of San Joaquin County.
Animal Services addresses reports of abandoned pets
The discussion also turned to concerns about abandoned animals, with Committee Chair Mario Enriquez asking whether the shelter’s limited capacity affects its ability to respond to reports of stray dogs.
Kluza said not every animal roaming Stockton’s streets has been abandoned. Some escape from their homes, while others roam freely because their owners fail to properly contain them.
She said the shelter remains at capacity regularly but continues to make space for animals requiring immediate attention.
Vice Chair Michele Padilla asked how residents should respond when they encounter abandoned animals or litters.
Kluza encouraged residents to report suspected abandonment through Ask Stockton or by contacting Animal Services directly.
Photographs, videos and license plate information can help investigators document abandonment, she said.
The department also has a program allowing residents to temporarily foster found animals while arranging shelter intake or adoption. Animal Services can provide vaccinations and arrange sterilization for animals participating in the program.
City Council to consider proposals
The recommendations also call for continued city investment in spay/neuter clinics and affordable veterinary services.
In January, the City Council approved a three-month, $126,000 contract with Animal Balance to provide high-volume sterilization services at the Stockton Animal Shelter.
The agreement called for approximately 200 spay/neuter procedures across three clinic events. According to the city’s staff report, the department lacked sufficient staffing capacity to manage high-volume sterilization services without outside assistance.
Kluza said Monday that the city has expanded access to spay/neuter programs over the past year and that stronger enforcement must be accompanied by resources that help residents comply.
“If we’re going to encourage residents to have their animals spayed and neutered, and in some cases require it due to repeat violations, we need to make sure those services are accessible to people,” she said.
Committee member Michael Blower moved to forward the recommendations to the full City Council, and Enriquez seconded the motion. The committee approved the referral without recorded opposition.
Councilmember Jason Lee was absent due to a prior commitment out of town, according to Enriquez.
The changes would still need City Council consideration before taking effect. A timeline for adoption and a proposed funding amount for additional sterilization services were not provided Monday.