Ohio law requires dogs over three months of age to be licensed. The deadline to purchase a tag without penalty is Jan. 31.
According to Mark Kumpf, director of the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center, one-year licenses have outsold the multi-year tags by a wide margin. Kumpf said a handful of three-year tags have been sold. None of the lifetime tags have been sold. About 6,700 dog licenses were sold in 2013.
Kumpf said he recommends the one-year option for the safety of the dog. The state law allowing multi-year options does not require owners to update their information annually.
“Because of the transient nature of the population and people changing their phone numbers, when you move the renewal process out three to 10 years the chance of people updating their information becomes very slim,” Kumpf said.
“They certainly can, but unfortunately not everyone does that. When you rely on a phone number and address to relocate a pet and you get ‘the number you are trying to reach is no longer in service’ or you arrive at a house that’s been vacated … the odds of reuniting the pet are not very good.”
Cost for a one-year license is $20 for a spayed or neutered dog (proof required) and $24 for an unaltered dog. A three-year license is $60 and $72. A 10-year license is $200 and $240. The multi-year licenses are sold only at the Montgomery County Auditor’s office, 451 West Third St. The multi-year tags are not refundable should they not be needed all three or 10 years.
For locations selling the traditional license, or to purchase a license online, visit www.mcohio.org. The website also can be used to locate owners of lost dogs through the tags 24 hours a day.
According to the Montgomery County website: “The county is authorized to hold a licensed dog for up to 14 days after mailing a notice of its capture to the owner before it can either be humanely destroyed or adopted. Unlicensed dogs may be destroyed or adopted out after being held for three days.”
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