Caddo Parish reenacted its spay-and-neuter ordinance on Aug. 8, 2024. The Caddo Parish Commission renewed the ordinance requiring owners to have pets spayed or neutered, a major part of reducing intake to local animal shelters.
The Commission unanimously agreed Thursday the 2022 legislation should be extended beyond its original two-year life span, though with some amendment. The ordinance outlines several exceptions to the rules. Caddo Parish Animal Services Director Travis Clark said in a news release the department takes in between 4,000 and 5,000 animals every year.
He said the ordinance will help keep those numbers down. “With the re-enactment of this ordinance, the goal is to humanely reduce the number of dogs and cats taken in by Animal Services, and to reduce any subsequent euthanasia as we address population control,” Clark said in a news release. The amended ordinance applies to all unincorporated areas of Caddo Parish.
The new ordinance requires pet owners to move faster to have their animals fixed. Now, dogs 26 weeks or older must be spayed or neutered to be in compliance with the order, down from 56 weeks or older in the previous ordinance, parish spokeswoman Krystal Beauchamp said in an email. Cats still must be fixed by 26 weeks.
Cats and dogs registered with officially-recognized pedigree or kennel club associations, such as the American Kennel Club or the American Dog Breeders Association, still are exempt provided owners can show annual proof of membersh.