California · Food and Agricultural Code - FAC

FAC §31753: A rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, potbellied pig, bird, lizard, snake, turtle, or tortoise that is legally allowed as personal property and that is impounded in a public or private shelter shall be held

What this law says, in plain English

This statute addresses the holding period for legally owned small animals impounded in public or private shelters, including rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, potbellied pigs, birds, reptiles, and tortoises.

Read the full statutory text

A rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, potbellied pig, bird, lizard, snake, turtle, or tortoise that is legally allowed as personal property and that is impounded in a public or private shelter shall be held for the same period of time, under the same requirements of care, and with the same opportunities for redemption and adoption by new owners or nonprofit, as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, animal rescue, or adoption organizations as provided for cats and dogs. The public or private shelter may enter into cooperative agreements with animal rescue or adoption organizations regarding rabbits that are equivalent to those cooperative agreements authorized in Section 31108 regarding dogs and Section 31752 regarding cats. Section 17006 shall also apply to these animals. 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 by new owners or released to nonprofit animal rescue or adoption organizations pursuant to this section.

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