Over charge, spaying, and castrating.

Question

Can a dog pound overcharge to return a person's dogs, castrate and spay them without consent, even after knowing who the owner is?

Answer

People who believe they have been overcharged can sue to try to get compensated. Shelters are generally allowed by law to charge impound fees for lost and stray dogs in their custody. Impound fees differ so local laws should be reviewed. Local laws also differ on rights of shelters to spay/neuter animals prior to release of the animals to their “parent.” For example, some local laws specifically state that an animal cannot be released to the animal’s “parent” unless the animal is spayed/neutered. Some laws only make the spay/neuter mandatory if the animal has previously been impounded. Also, a number of localities have enacted laws requiring people to have their animals spayed/neutered by a certain age (usually four to six months) unless the person has an unaltered animal or breeding permit or a veterinarian certifies that the procedure would endanger the health of the animal. Also worth noting is that shelters can generally spay/neuter animals who have not been retrieved by their “parent” in the hold time specified in the law. The number of days a person has to retrieve their animal varies throughout the country and sometimes even among municipalities within the same state. Consider that spaying/neutering help to control the overpopulation of dogs and can provide health benefits.