Dog license fees top revenue source for some animal shelters

Survey indicates nearly  90 percent of owners will still buy licenses despite a $4 price increase in 2010.

Michael Powley of Dayton plays with one of the dogs at the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center on Webster Street in Dayton while looking for a dog to adopt. The license fee in Montgomery County is being raised from $16 to 20 a year, effective Dec. 1.

Staff photo by Ron Alvey Michael Powley of Dayton plays with one of the dogs at the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center on Webster Street in Dayton while looking for a dog to adopt. The license fee in Montgomery County is being raised from $16 to 20 a year, effective Dec. 1.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Dog license fee hike prompted by increase in dogs at shelter

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By Margo Rutledge Kissell, Staff Writer Updated 5:19 PM Friday, August 28, 2009

DAYTON — So far this year, 72,399 dogs have been licensed in Montgomery County, generating more than $1,150,000 million for the Animal Resource Center.

“That’s the primary revenue source that we have,” director Mark Kumpf said Wednesday, Aug. 26, regarding his $2.3 million budget.

Dog license fees help operate the 6790 Webster St. facility, which takes care of stray and lost animals, provides animal control services and ensures every dog adopted from the center is spayed or neutered. Last year, the center handled 9,317 animals, including more than 6,000 dogs and more than 3,000 cats.

The facility also receives an $800,000 operating subsidy from the county, generated by sales tax revenue. With the county’s budget woes, Kumpf expects that subsidy to take a big hit.

“We could be looking at a significant reduction,” he said.

He said the $4 increase for a dog license for 2010 will keep the facility operating where it should be, but not be used to do more.

He said 56 percent of dog owners in Montgomery County buy dog licenses each year, about triple the national average.

Some dog owners interviewed Wednesday said they’d pay the increase. However, Pat Underburger of Englewood, who owns a papillon named Scrappy said, “That’s quite a jump all at once.”

The Montgomery County Auditor’s Office asked dog owners in a recent survey if they would pay for a dog license if it cost $20. The results showed 89 percent of the responders, or 2,754, said they would continue to buy licenses, while 357 said they’d stop buying them and take their chances.

The number of dogs brought into the center has climbed 19 percent, and so far this year there have been 8,340 requests for service calls, a 20 percent increase.

“The economy is challenging everyone. Some people are not able to provide for their pets,” Kumpf said. “A lot are making the decision to turn them in.”

Ohio law requires dogs older than 3 months of age be licensed.

Dog licenses must be renewed annually from Dec. 1 through Jan. 31. Renewal tags bought after Jan. 31 are subject to late fees.

Kumpf noted more than 1,200 people took advantage of a dog license amnesty period earlier this month that kept them from paying those late fees.