Question
I was arrested for a traffic violation that was not my fault. My service dog was taken to the Animal Control. They are requiring that she be spayed before release and charging me over $400. She went in Friday night and I was released Monday morning, but they were closed Monday and Tuesday. She has saved my life more than once. I do not have that much money and it adds up every day. What can I do? I do not want her sterilized and I need her with me as soon as possible. What can I do?
Answer
Oklahoma state law requires shelters to either spay/neuter animals prior to adoption or have adopters leave a spay/neuter deposit and sign an agreement to have the animal sterilized. Local laws can be more stringent and require spaying/neutering prior to releasing animals to their “parents.” Impound fees are also authorized. Worth noting as well is that some municipalities in Oklahoma require dogs and cats to be sterilized if they are over six months of age unless the animal’s “parent” has an intact animal permit.
People who do not retrieve their animals in a timely manner may forfeit rights to those animals. People who believe that their rights have been violated can sue but by the time the case is resolved it is very possible that the animal will no longer be at the shelter. Spaying/neutering help to curtail the overpopulation of dogs and other animals and can provide health benefits.
PLEASE NOTE: Responses to legal inquiries are not meant to replace seeking legal advice from an attorney in your state. The materials in this website and any responses to questions are for informational purposes only and are not intended, nor should they be construed, as legal advice. This website, the information contained herein, and any responses to questions directed to this column are not intended to create and do not establish an attorney-client relationship. You should not rely or act upon any information provided on this website or in any response to your inquiry without seeking the advice of an attorney in your state regarding the facts of your specific situation.
Send Your Pet Legal Question Now!
Elinor will field as many questions as she can and they will be posted here on this site. Due to the volume of questions received, not all questions are answered. However, many individuals have similar questions. You may find helpful information in the categories listed below.