Working in a shelter, where we enforce animal related by-laws, we deal with people licencing or not licencing their dogs on a daily basis.
Most municipalities have by-laws for dog licencing and if owners are caught without a dog licence they could be subject to a ticket just as you would if other by-laws were broken.
Those who don't licence their dogs are not only in contravention of the by-law but are also decreasing the chance of being reunited with their dog should it go stray.
Although many think that dog licencing is just a "money grab" for the city they live in, I assure you the money is put to good use and dogs do benefit from wearing their tag... at least at the shelter I work in.
Dogs that are licenced and wearing their tag...
- Can be identified, if they wander away from home or are injured on the road, and reunited with their owner promptly
- In most cases can return directly home instead of spending time in the shelter. This decreases the chance that they may be housed in areas with other dogs of unknown health status and the stress associated with being in a shelter type environment.
In most cities the money from dog licencing.....
- Allows the shelter to house feed and care for stray dogs in the city until their owners can claim them or they go up for adoption
- Allows animals that are sick to be seen by a vet and treated with medications
- Allows animals that are going up for adoption to be vet checked, vaccinated and microchipped
- Contributes to community education initiatives relating to animals
- Pays for staff to provide these services to the community
So purchasing a dog licence is more than buying a new piece of jewelry for your dog... it could be what saves your dogs life!
