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Editor: Jeffrey Harlan Penneys, Esq.
Profession: Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney

Category: Miscellaneous Dog Issues

In Pennsylvania, it is imperative that owners have their dogs licensed and tagged. MANY Pennsylvania dog owners are breaking the law by failing to have their dogs tagged and licensed.

Pennsylvania law dictates that owners in the suburbs to buy a tag for their pet's collar by Jan. 1 each year. City dwellers are to renew their tags on the anniversary of their tag purchase. Fines for failing to do license range from $50 to $300.

The rates of compliance range from as little as 12 percent in Delaware County to 42 percent in Chester County. In Philadelphia County where I am from, the compliance rate is at an all-time low of less than 10%! This translates to about 63% or 2.5 millions dogs who are unlicensed. The state sells approx. 950,000 licenses a year for dogs 3 months or older.

The license fees are important-they help pay for the dog wardens who search for and catch strays, inspect kennels, and monitor the dog population for rabies. A license also helps people who have lost their dogs to get them back.

The Commonwealth made approximately $5.6 million from licenses in 2006, so the state treasury is losing millions of important dollars each year.

In defense of the citizens of our great state, the dog licensing statute is not well-known. When I ask people if their dog is licensed, they usually look at me as if I am from another planet.

No one does a dog census in Pennsylvania, but the American Veterinary Medical Association uses a formula that places the state dog population at 2,449,510.

In Philadelphia, there are an estimated 284,978 dogs and only 13,833 licenses. The population estimate may be off by quite a bit because of the city's poverty rate, the number of single people, and the high rate of apartment living, all of which could reduce dog ownership below national averages.

The licensing rate is about 21 percent in Bucks County and about 26 percent in Montgomery County.

Owners who buy the aluminum tags know they change color annually.

In 2006, the state tags were mint green; this year, they are purple. A silver lifetime tag, which very few owners get, requires a microchip or tattoo.

The state tags are rectangular, or oval for seniors. Philadelphia's tags are shaped differently each year. Last year, they were a blue star.

Counties collect the fees and issue the license. The state mails out reminders to all property owners for counties, which provide a database for reference.

In 2004, Philadelphia contracted with a company, PetData, to handle license renewals.

The city requires veterinarians to report rabies vaccinations, which PetData uses to contact owners. The city also mandates licences for all dogs sold or adopted.

Before Philadelphia's Environmental Health Services took the job over from the Department of Licenses and Inspections about five years ago, only 1,200 dogs had licenses.

At the Delaware County SPCA in Media, a little more than half the stray dogs taken to the shelter end up reunited with their owners.

"Very few come in licensed," said Bill Vernon, the shelter's managing director.

Vernon is a fan of microchips. Stray dogs are automatically scanned, allowing the pet to be identified even if a tag missing.

Chicago, El Paso County in Texas, and Los Angeles County all mandate chip implants. Los Angeles County provides the chip for free.

Two-year-old Lovey, a Pembroke Welsh corgi, has the chip. His owners, Mike and Liz Berman of Media, then went to the Delaware County Government Center to get a lifetime dog license.