# Dog License Fees



## MsAnneThrope (Apr 21, 2014)

I live in a city that requires owners to license their dogs and to yearly renew said license. Here is the fee schedule: 



I bolded that last part because I have noticed something interesting. When registering your dog for the first time, you must select the correct option. If you are licensing an altered dog, then you must provide proof that this procedure was in fact, completed on your dog by a licensed veterinarian. Here is what I have noticed that is of interest: people look at the fees for unaltered pets, and INSTEAD of actually having their dogs fixed, they choose not to license at all. What is the definition of counterproductive?

I can’t say that I blame them. Duke is unaltered, but not because I am going to breed him. After much research, I decided to wait until he is 2 years old to have the veterinarian perform that procedure. We are going to obtain a CGC and then try our hand at tracking. He did marvelous in his HotDog Puppy Classes!

What is $60 a year? Well…the single Texas State Park Pass (Primary Pass) may be purchased for $70. An additional (secondary) pass may be purchased for $25.

What is the purpose of the fees?

According to the city:

A pet license identifies and protects your pet in case it becomes lost. Even indoor pets can get out and become lost. You are required to renew your license yearly and to keep your license updated when you move and/or your pet is given away, lost, stolen or is deceased. A pet license is not only a requirement, but it provides the following benefits:
•	A license tells everyone that your pet is not a homeless stray.
•	When licensed, found pets can be quickly reunited with their owner
•	BARC will call you or send you a letter if your pet comes to the shelter wearing a license.
•	Your license is proof that your pet has been vaccinated against rabies.
•	A license provides emergency medical care for your pet when in the care of BARC
•	When found, your licensed pet will be cared for at BARC for a longer holding period.
•	*Animal licensing is an essential part of animal care and control in our community. License fees support the return of lost dogs and cats to their homes and help adopt homeless dogs and cats to new families. Other services funded by pet licensing are the prevention of animal neglect or cruelty, spay/neuter programs, over-population programs, and community education services.*

I bolded that last bullet point because that is what this all comes down to: the purpose is to have the responsible owners pay for the others who don't bother and/or don’t want to spend money on their pets. I am all for those wonderful programs, I just wonder…

I have watched the fees keep climbing over the last decade, and I am fairly certain they will continue to rise. Quite frankly, I don’t understand the city’s thinking. I am willing to bet that over 50% of the dogs in this city are not licensed.

Oh, and the fine for not licensing your dog? It is $112 per dog. They don’t have any way to know if your dog is licensed or not, so enforcing it is quite a joke. The only way an owner with an unlicensed dog is caught is when said dog has been picked up by the city and placed into doggy jail…erm…the shelter.

I know many people who don’t license their dogs. One said to me, “I bet you think I am an irresponsible owner.” I replied, “I don’t think not licensing your dog makes you an irresponsible owner. I think not spending time with a dog, not training/socializing a dog, not providing any form of ID in case something happens, and not providing medical care and sustenance make a person an irresponsible owner.”

That being said, as with all civil disobedience, one must be prepared to handle the consequences.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

My county's fees are the same way...not as high, but unaltered are higher $24 rather than $12. I think you'd be amazed at how many people probably neuter/spay because they do want to register a pet and get the "discount." Many people are oblivious, they don't know how/why they could get caught, so they'll register, and when they see that the fees are less, they'll spueter. IMO...due to the pet population, if it gets just one more person to speuter, its worth it. And if you decide not to, and you license, well then you're providing income to Animal Control which is also useful.

I know for a fact that most dogs in our county aren't registered...I live in Milwaukee and I registered in April last year (day before the deadline) and I had tag number 49XX...so no where near the true amount of pets in the county.

You do get some things in our city other than your dog is then registered with animal control so if its picked up, and is wearing its tag, they can look up your information and get the dog back to you (if you don't have a microchip). You're also not allowed to purchase a license to the county's dog parks without one...even though I'm sure the majority of people don't buy those either and still go to the dog parks.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Actually there is only a $10.00 difference in my area. They actually give you the altered price up to a year, so they do give more time then most and allow the animal to be fixed later.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

We have no difference here, yet. Though it is written into the new law in Ohio, that leaves a provision for it, and counties can do that if they choose to.

A dog license is $12. 

A kennel license (required for anyone who keeps dogs for the purpose of breeding or hunting) is $60. And you get 5 license tags, and additional tags may be purchased for $1. (You will have to have a vendor's license, which is a 1-time fee for $25. 

If you do not have your dog licensed by 1/31 then the charge is doubled. $24. 

I have NEVER had to turn in evidence for vaccination while getting my licenses. 

The money goes to the dog/kennel fund. This funds the dog warden, and whatever expenses for picking up strays. Some is supposed to go to farmers if livestock is killed by dogs. They have to make a claim. Beyond that, they can donate to an organization for the prevention of cruelty of animals and children. But I think it just goes into the general fund which is always in bad shape. 

The shelter here is privately owned and operated. The dog warden can pay to house strays there for the number of days required. After that, the shelter may take on the dog, or the dog will be euthanized. 

We have no dog parks, no dog-friendly beaches, no poopie bags paid for by the government on the bike trail. 

If you do not license your dogs, nothing will happen to you UNLESS the dog warden is called to your house for a different complaint, then they can ask whether or not your dogs are licensed, and fine you -- twice what a license will cost you, and for that you get a license. I would be so much better off, if I had all these years, not purchased a license. 

If they pick up your dog, and you have it licensed (like you have the collar with the tag on it -- fat chance), then they will keep it longer in the shelter so you can get it back and they will contact you. I don't know if they will fine you or not for dog at large, probably. 

I think all dog owners should pay for the privileges that the government pays for with respect to dogs. If they maintain a dog park, shelter, dog warden, etc. That should be paid for by dog owners. ALL dog owners, not just the responsible ones. And I think that if the government runs a shelter, then they it makes sense for them to increase the cost of licensing for intact animals, even though only a percentage of people actually allow their intact animals breed, and only a percentage of them do not home their puppies. 

You have government or you have anarchy. If you choose government, then you have to pay for it. If you choose anarchy then likely you will pay for it a lot more. If you do not like the choices the government makes, get involved in it. Know what laws are proposed and argue against them. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but at least you do something. If you have done something, and it doesn't come out your way, then maybe civil disobedience is an avenue to trod. I would choose my battles on that though. 

Giving up on going through channels, writing letters to your assembly-persons, writing letters to the editor, etc, and going right to civil disobedience though, I think is a cop out.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I was also surprised to see that in my area the annual budget for animal control is almost 2 million dollars. They do supply poop bags everywhere. There are dog parks but those are through the forest preserve district.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I license my dogs. It's double for an intact dog. Now they let us get 3 years at a time. You need a valid rabies certificate. I saved myself from a boatload of fines and having my dog quarantined when I needed stitches for a dog bite (my own dog, did not intend to bite me) and the bite was reported to the county health department. Because my dogs were license, the dog warden simply had to confirm I was alive 10 days later to make sure I didn't have rabies. There was no fine or bite record or quarantine for my dog. If he hadn't been licensed I would have been fined and would have had to pay for them to do the quarantine.

I don't however have my dogs wearing licenses 24/7. I don't think it's safe and not all my dogs wear collars unless we're actually training or they're out in public.


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## SoCal Rebell (Jun 3, 2009)

I just called Los Angeles animal control to license my un-neutered 5 month old pup, they told me the yearly fee would $325 




.


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## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

In Palm Beach County Florida: Unaltered is $75. Altered is $15.


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## nktigger99 (Aug 22, 2006)

I just looked up Moore's licensing rules....2.50$ a year but I don't know a single person who has ever gotten a dog license. 

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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

*".....................the responsible owners pay for the others who don't bother and/or don’t want to spend money on their pets."


*Your observation....which I completely agree with, is similar in most all sectors of life in America these days. Those that produce and "do" are taken advantage of by those who chose not to "do" or are deadbeats. The worst part of this malaise which has been festering in this country for the last few decades is: Those who are truly needy and deserve our benevolence, end up getting far less than what they should. 

Sorry for the strong opinion but your post speaks exactly to my observation of the changing times.

Culpability is becoming more rare with each passing day.


SuperG


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

i knew there was a license fee. i didn't do it. my dog pulled a houdini and escaped to the front yard. a neighbor called the cops. i got a citation for no dog license and another for no leash. i just went to court 2 days ago and beat the no leash 'cause my dog was still on my property but got a $140 fine for no license. i got one now!


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## Neko (Dec 13, 2012)

$20 here ;(


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Oh...I forgot ...MsAnneThrope....great screen name....even though I love my dogs....some humans aren't so bad......


SuperG


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## SARpup (Jan 7, 2004)

Here in our county it is ridiculous too! 
I have a question though.......Don't you get fined if your dog is picked up anyway? So the license is only giving them a way to identify the animal and owner all this is IF the dog is wearing the collar and tags at the time of collection! A microchip is ALWAYS there and has the same information! So they will find out the owner and get in contact with you that way. You will still get fined for your dog being loose and however many days of impound! So I don't see how the license is better then a microchip!


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

SARpup said:


> Here in our county it is ridiculous too!
> I have a question though.......Don't you get fined if your dog is picked up anyway? So the license is only giving them a way to identify the animal and owner all this is IF the dog is wearing the collar and tags at the time of collection! A microchip is ALWAYS there and has the same information! So they will find out the owner and get in contact with you that way. You will still get fined for your dog being loose and however many days of impound! So I don't see how the license is better then a microchip!


your statement/question makes no sense. a license fee is just a tax. nothing else. a chip is for identification if it gets lost. a dog license is just a way for your town to collect money and even money in the form of a fine if you get caught not paying the bitch tax in the first place.

the license isn't for identification it's for money.


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## N Smith (Aug 25, 2011)

Whitehorse, Yukon (Canada): $60/year unaltered, $60 one time fee if altered(no microchip), Free for life if Altered and Microchipped.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

SuperG said:


> *".....................the responsible owners pay for the others who don't bother and/or don’t want to spend money on their pets."*
> 
> 
> Your observation....which I completely agree with, is similar in most all sectors of life in America these days. Those that produce and "do" are taken advantage of by those who chose not to "do" or are deadbeats. The worst part of this malaise which has been festering in this country for the last few decades is: Those who are truly needy and deserve our benevolence, end up getting far less than what they should.
> ...


Who do you consider "responsible?"


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

My answer would be anyone who owns a dog...with but a few exceptions.......they should be responsible...but I do live in a fantasy world....don't I?



SuperG


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## nktigger99 (Aug 22, 2006)

Here in our city you do not get fined for no license...so no motivation to get a license....a dog at large is 25$ a day fine....and can be charged 365 days back....so if I call and report to animal control that my neighbors dog was loose everyday for the past year they could be fined for all those days going back a year. 

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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

$20 for unaltered, $10 for altered. PUps under 6 months don't have to be registered.

When I had to call a/c for the pitmix EATING MY FENCE, the guy got snarky with me 'let me ask you this are you dogs registered?' Then he fined the unregistered dog's people $25 and went away.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

SunCzarina said:


> $20 for unaltered, $10 for altered. PUps under 6 months don't have to be registered.
> 
> When I had to call a/c for the pitmix EATING MY FENCE, the guy got snarky with me 'let me ask you this are you dogs registered?' Then he fined the unregistered dog's people $25 and went away.


I would call your county commissioners (whoever that guy answers to) and complain. 

When the pit mix next door was EATING MY TREE and I called, I got nothing. No response whatsoever. When the dog was charging my dogs while I was trying to get them in my car, I called the dog warden and I called the sheriff's department. The sheriff's department told me to shoot the dog if it was charging me -- they were telling me to shoot the dog and then to say it was going for me. I didn't. I put up with it. Finally the lady living over there went belly up and moved away with her dogs. So now I have the elephant hunter over there that drives big ruts into my lawn when he gets drunk and drives his pickup around and around his house and yard.


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## nezzz (Jan 20, 2013)

Where I live, its a $5000 bond which is forfeited if your dog bites someone, a minimum $100,000 mandatory home insurance plan and $200 a year for unspayed/unneutered pets OR $50 for spayed/neutered pets. This is for "dangerous dogs" like GSDs, rottweilers, dobermans, etc... The fee for "friendly" dogs like labradors, golden retrievers and small dogs is only the $50 or $200 depending if it had been spayed/neutered.

So all in, I'm paying $4000-$5000 a year to keep my dog, granted most of it is going to my home insurance which is more than the $100,000 minimum.


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## AngelaA6 (Jan 20, 2013)

It's $25 here in Pierce County and you pay yearly. I have Gunther licensed.


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## volcano (Jan 14, 2013)

No liscence required here. But we have dog parks that charge a fee, so Instead I have her off leash where im not allowed.


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