Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Citrus Heights council favors free first-year puppy licensing and continued free microchipping; staff to draft ordinance language
Summary
Councilors expressed consensus Dec. 10 to pursue Option 3 — free first-year licensing for puppies — and to continue offering free microchipping events (donated chips cover roughly 1,000 animals through FY2029–30). Staff will return with ordinance language and implementation details.
Citrus Heights councilmembers signaled consensus Dec. 10 to add a free first-year license for puppies and to continue the city’s free microchipping program rather than immediately mandating chips as a licensing requirement.
Police Chief Alex Turcotte and Police Services Manager Tiffany Campbell presented four options for amending the city’s licensing and microchipping ordinance: retain current rules; mandate microchipping for license issuance; free first-year licenses for puppies with a rabies certificate; or provide one-year free licenses for all first-time licenses (estimated fiscal impact ~$21,000). Campbell said the current donation of microchips would cover about 1,000 animals and is expected to last through fiscal year 2029–30 at the current rate of use.
Council discussion focused on barriers to licensing and the reunification benefit of microchips; staff explained licensing is available online, by phone, in person and via QR code. Several councilmembers emphasized continuing free microchipping events and increasing public outreach; members asked staff to return with ordinance text to implement free first-year puppy licensing (Option 3) and to outline whether additional promotional steps or replenishment of donated chips will be needed.
