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Aurora council approves first readings of three animal-control ordinances to recover program costs
Summary
Council approved first readings of three ordinances to add a $20 microchip fee at adoption, raise adoption fees to $50 and increase pickup/redemption fees (e.g., stepped fees of roughly $20, $50, $100) to recover animal-control and veterinary costs after outside funding ends.
City staff told the Aurora City Council on Sept. 23 that external funding for the city's spay-and-neuter work is ending and presented three related ordinances to shore up the animal-control program.
The first ordinance, listed in the agenda as ordinance 2025-33-55, would add a nominal $20 microchipping fee attached to adoption. The city's chief explained the city has a ShelterLove microchip pricing offer that would allow the city to microchip animals prior to adoption and that $20 covers the microchip and a portion of staff time.
“It fluctuates a little bit, but so far, I think we can get the chip for under $10,” the chief said, adding that registration with a microchip company is a separate optional cost for adopters.
The second ordinance (2025-33-56) would raise the adoption fee to $50 to include the microchipping charge and better account for care costs (food, shelter, veterinary care) prior to adoption. The chief described the increase as intended to keep adoptions affordable while recovering more of the per-animal expense.
The third ordinance (2025-33-57) would change pickup and redemption fees to a stepped schedule to better reflect the city’s costs and to deter repeated pickups of the same animal. The chief described example amounts (first pickup $20, second $50, third $100 and subsequent pickups at that higher level) and said the revision would also allow the city to recover veterinary costs when animals require care after pickup.
Council members asked whether the $20 microchip fee was the material cost or included labor; the chief said $20 includes some staff time and ShelterLove’s discounted price for microchips, while full registration with a microchip company could carry an additional fee if adopters want lifetime registration or alerts.
A council member moved, and the council approved, the first readings of all three ordinances at the Sept. 23 meeting. The approvals were for first reading only; additional legislative steps and any final fee schedule will be set in subsequent readings.
