dogs, designer dogs, yorkipoo, yorkie poo, dog license

The License Saga

 

dogs, designer dogs, yorkipoo, yorkie poo, notice, animal control

Has anyone else found it incredibly difficult getting a license for their dog?

I always knew that a license was generally something that my city required if you had a dog, but since Sadie is my first dog, I didn’t know any specific details. So as soon as I brought my new puppy home, I called the city to find out what to do. They said call back next year, since dogs doesn’t need a license in my town until they are at least a year old. After Sadie’s first birthday at the end of May last year, I called the city to ask about the paperwork. They said just forget about it until 2014 since she was still a puppy for much of 2013. When January 2014 came around, I went into City Hall myself to do the paperwork. But they refused to give Sadie a license. Apparently in order to get a license in my city, the dog’s rabies shot must be valid through October 31st of that year. Sadie was supposed to get her next rabies shot on October 5th. So I was told that although I’m required by law to have a license for my dog, they couldn’t issue a license for her. Try again next year. This was becoming very frustrating, but I once again put off the issue to be dealt with in 2015.

Then one morning the doorbell rings and Sadie runs to look out the window and starts barking. I go downstairs and find this bright orange notice on my door.

 

dogs, designer dogs, yorkipoo, yorkie poo, notice, animal control

Apparently animal control discovered I had an unlicensed dog and I was required to call them immediately to deal with the issue. So I called in a few times and eventually got someone to answer the phone. I first asked how they knew I had a dog, fearing that some neighbor was complaining for some reason. It turns out my city had hired college students to walk up and down our streets and every time something barked at them, they would check a list and if no dog was listed for that house, they were to leave the animal control notice. So basically Sadie turned herself in. Anyway, I explained the situation to the person on the phone and they confirmed that they could not issue Sadie a license, so nothing could be done until next year. They said there was no need to worry, animal control was just doing a dog census, and were more concerned about accurate numbers than licenses.

About a month later I got a letter in the mail. This time the city threatened to take me to court if I didn’t get Sadie a license. But every time I tried, they refused to give one to her. I couldn’t believe how ridiculous the situation was becoming! While I was still deciding what to do next, I took Sadie to her annual exam and talked to the vet about my issues with the city. She said that Sadie was now an appropriate size for the three year rabies vaccine. So that very day the vet gave Sadie the three year rabies shot so that I could immediately file for a license and wouldn’t have to worry about being taken to court.

 

dogs, designer dogs, yorkipoo, yorkie poo, dog license

Today Sadie’s license finally came in the mail. We are no longer rebels facing a summons to court for failing to possess a license the city refused to give me multiple times. I can breathe a sigh of relief, at least for the next two years. In three years the problem will start all over again, as Sadie’s rabies shot will be up in June, not October.

 

This post is part of the Thursday Barks and Bytes blog hop hosted by 2 Brown Dawgs and Heart Like A Dog.

2 Brown Dawgs  

This post is also part of the Thoughtless Thursday blog hop hosted by Ruckus the Eskie and Love Is Being Owned By a Husky.

 

 


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13 comments

  1. Hi Y’all!

    Gee golly! My Human goes insane when she has to deal with bureaucracy. Wait until y’all go through the red tape for international travel!

    I live in very, very rural areas…very. In several places my Humans have lived, vets were able to provide your dog license. When I came home to live with my Humans, they asked the local vet…who knew nothing, absolutely nothing, about a license. I’m heavily tagged and microchipped instead.

    Y’all come by now,
    Hawk aka BrownDog
    Hawk aka BrownDog recently posted…ROOOO!!!!!WOOF!!WOOF!!!My Profile

  2. Never had any issues with getting a dog license. We even had licenses in several cities in Germany, no problem. Here in the US, we just go to the city in person, show them a rabies certificate and get our tags on the spot. Must be something odd where you live.
    Emma recently posted…A game of Rope Tug Anyone?My Profile

  3. Very similar situations in Seattle with trying to get licenses. They say renew online but the system never works. Then they charge ridiculous late penalties. Arg! At least they have stopped requiring rabies certificates here. The part that aggravates me is when cities like yours and mine spend so much time and money finding and prosecuting unlicensed pets when there are dangerous dogs running around illegally off-leash everywhere and people refusing to legally clean up disease spreading poop! The priorities seem very backwards and not at all in the interest of public (pet and human!) safety.
    Bethany recently posted…Wondering Where We’ve Been Wordless WednesdayMy Profile

  4. Hmmm…i’m not to sure about this situation. I don’t know what you mean by a licence for dogs. I’m not sure where your from, but i’m in Canada Ontario…here we have to register our pets, but not have them licensed.
    Sounds like they are putting you through a run around though! UGH!
    Thanks for linking up with us!
    ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
    Jenna,Mark “HuskyCrazed” Drady recently posted…4 MUST HAVE dog commands!My Profile

  5. Yes. My county has stupid “rules” like that too. I would have been tempted to let them take me to court to get the stupidity in front of a judge.

    How about this? My county recently did a census in my city. I had heard they were coming on the news so I dug out all three dogs tags and proof of rabies. Finally they showed up, but get this—they only had two not three dogs listed even though we had three licenses. Stupid government bureaucracy.

    Thanks for joining the hop! Glad you got it all worked out!
    2 Brown Dawgs recently posted…Thursday Barks And Bytes–Training With FriendsMy Profile

  6. Wow what an ordeal! I can’t believe they wouldn’t give you a license but then made a big deal about not having one. Sounds like you were more than responsible when it came to trying to obtain the license. Too bad your city was so frustrating. Glad it’s all taken care of now.

  7. well that is just silly, what if you had friend visiting that had a dog?

    I actually had a co-worker years ago that had something similar happen to her, although it was a bit easier for her to get the license after they ‘found out about her” The dog in question had only been with them a short time when it was noticed and she was with in her legal rights to not have had it licensed at that point, so it was just annoying they were so threatening..
    Connie recently posted…A Huge Disappointment for the Coastal Humane SocietyMy Profile

  8. That whole situation was just ridiculous, poor Sadie the rebel dog..

    I had a hard time getting Laika her first license though it was nothing like you went through. I do remember that I couldn’t actually apply for one until she had her 3 years rabies shot as well. I swear this whole process used to be easier, and the fact that many municipalities have the option to buy or renew your dog license online makes you think it would be convenient…
    Jen Jelly recently posted…What To Do When Your Dog Gets StungMy Profile

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