Fresno County expands fines and penalties to combat illegal dog-breeding ‘crisis’

Breeders beware: Fresno County is tackling the stray pet problem with heavier fines and potential jail time for unlicensed pet breeders.

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors held a hearing on Tuesday for a new ordinance revision that will require dog and cat breeders to obtain a permit from the county and impose a $1,000 fine for each illegally bred animal.

The revision would also allow the county to charge breeders who violate the ordinance with misdemeanor penalties, with the potential for up to six months in jail.

“We’re coming after you; you’re not going to be allowed to continue to illegally breed dogs,” warned Supervisor Garry Bredefeld.

Now, according to Supervisor Brian Pacheco, county staff will “have the teeth to do their job.”

“Our staff is simply overwhelmed, no matter how hard they work on a daily basis, they have more animals the next day,” Pacheco said.

Bredefeld explained that the county’s animal shelter and shelters across the county struggle with a constant influx of animals, with illegal dog breeders fueling the problem.

At a new conference after the board meeting Tuesday, Priscilla Wolcott, an animal services officer for Fresno Humane Animal Services, called it a “crisis.”

“The illegal breeding and the backyard breeding that we have allowed in our community with very little consequences has contributed widely to our overpopulation crisis here in Fresno County and in our local shelters,” Wolcott said.

According to Maria Garcia, a shelter manager for Fresno Humane, most of the animals brought to the shelter are puppies under six months old. Garcia said that this year alone, the shelter has taken in 1,970 dogs, with 1,011 of them being six months old or younger.

Multiple examples of neglected dog litters and puppy mills were shown during a presentation Tuesday. Sim Dhillon of the county’s department of public health noted one example where nearly 130 animals have been removed from a property since 2020.

“The issue we were having was there wasn’t an enforcement piece to individuals breeding animals, which highlights the need for this breeding ordinance,” Dhillon said.

Dhillon also said that the new ordinance will limit the frequency of litters breeders can produce per year, with each breeding dog limited to one litter per year.

Individuals who violate the new ordinance can avoid paying fines if they provide proof of spaying or neutering for each bred animal and if they obtain a breeding permit within 30 days of the violation.

A second hearing for the new ordinance will be held at the July 8 board meeting. If approved, the ordinance will take effect 30 days after.

A similar ordinance was passed by the City of Fresno last year, which was also co-sponsored by Bredefeld when he served on the city council.

For now, county officials urge pet owners to spay or neuter their animals and to report illicit breeding. Bredefeld also says that pet owners need not worry about the new ordinance, so long as they aren’t breeding illegally.

“We love people who take care of their dogs and are responsible pet owners. We’re not so thrilled with people who are illegally breeding dogs selling them,” Bredefeld said.

To report a stray animal in Fresno County, call 600-PETS (or 559-600-7387). Alternatively, you can report them online here.