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County staff to study mandatory spay/neuter ordinance; Seaside precedent cited and public urged quick action
Summary
Hitchcock Road Animal Services told supervisors it will study the feasibility of a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance for unincorporated Monterey County and return with an analysis in about 6–9 months. The presentation cited enforcement and resource challenges and noted Seaside’s recently implemented ordinance and local mobile clinic capacity.
Monterey County animal services staff told the Board of Supervisors on Sept. 30 they will research the feasibility of a countywide mandatory spay/neuter ordinance and return by May 2026 with a detailed analysis.
Cindy Burnham, administrator of Hitchcock Road Animal Services, said the department "wholeheartedly supports spay/neuter" but noted challenges in a mandatory ordinance: enforcement costs, the need for accessible low‑cost services for low‑income residents, a national veterinary workforce shortage and the administrative…
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