Requiring a dog license fee?

[Patrick]

Now in Muskogee all dog owners have to purchase a license and vaccinate their dogs every year. I can see the requirement for vaccination, but a license??? What do you guys think about this?

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"Muskogee passes ordinance requiring annual dog license


By Chad Previch
The Oklahoman

MUSKOGEE - The price of a pooch has just gone up.
As of Monday, owners must pay an annual $15 licensing fee and vaccinate their dogs. Owners with spayed or neutered dogs pay $5, according to an ordinance passed in April.

Wayne Cartwright, an animal control officer, said the ordinance is designed to decrease the number of stray dogs.

The animal control division took more than 2,350 calls for service last year, Cartwright said. They picked up 761 dogs and 107 cats.

Muskogee resident Phillip Wynn said the ordinance will be a hardship on some in the community.

"I'm OK, but there are a lot of folks who are not, and it's expensive to have a dog spayed or neutered in this town," he said. "That's a lot of money if you have one or two."

Some other cities require licensing. Tulsa charges $3 and Moore charges $2.50. Stillwater and Bartlesville are among cities that don't have licensing fees.

The Muskogee ordinance includes a $200 fine for failing to get a license. Intentionally abandoning a dog carries a fine of up to $500.

Licensing fees are dedicated to the animal control division. The money could pay for a third control officer, Cartwright said.

"In the long run it will help," Cartwright said of the ordinance. "We're also making sure they're not getting rabies in Muskogee."

Residents can go to City Hall or the animal shelter for a license, Cartwright said. They need to show proof of vaccination and whether the dog is spayed or neutered.

As of Tuesday morning, he said, 218 residents have paid for licenses. The stray problem is not terribly bad, Cartwright said, but help is needed.

Vanna Conway, supervisor for Moore animal control, said Muskogee will be able to pick up more animals with another officer.

"It's hard when there's only two of you in a city that keeps growing," she said.

Wynn said the ordinance will increase the stray dog population. He said residents wanting to abandon their dogs will go in county jurisdiction and dump them there.

Resident Margaret Tatum said the cost of the licensing fee is too expensive. She said she was relieved that Mayor Hershel McBride said at Monday's city council meeting that if the ordinance doesn't work, he'll ask in a year for council members to repeal it.

"The responsible people are paying for the ones that did not take care of their dogs," she said. "We take care of our dogs and we're the ones paying."

[mranderson]

The fee has been inclusive since the beginning of responsible pet care. It should stay that way. One exception. Many vets recommend vaccinations every two or three years now. A small license fee would be fine between visits on that schedual. Maybe five dollars a year.

[dirtrider73068]

Well look at what it says the number of service calls and the number of pets picked up. I think all towns and city should be that way, then they can keep track of how many dogs or cats you have and maybe gain control of pet population. I know here where I am at the lady across the street refuses to fix her cats and we had at one time up to ten cats running the street, if there had been a lincese and a max number pets allowed that wouldn't happen.