Dog licence renewals are due Jan. 1, according to the City of Lethbridge’s Community Animal Services department.
Director of Services and Enforcement Skylar Plourde says the regular renewal notices have been delayed due to the postal strike. “At this time, although the licences do expire yearly on Dec. 31, our department won’t be taking any kind of enforcement on delinquent licences until the end of January. Giving people that month they normally would have had to receive their invoice and update their animal’s licence for the year.”
Regular follow-ups and any enforcement on delinquent accounts would happen in February, notes Plourde. “Licensing is important for dogs because it allows us to maintain a record of the number of animals in the city and what the needs in different areas of the community might be.”
“Most importantly, it allows us to identify owners of lost pets and get them returned home, as quickly and safely as possible before they end up at a shelter.”
Fees collected annually for licensing dogs, Plourde adds, are used to offset the animal shelter operations, which help provide care to sick, injured or abandoned animals.
“Obtaining compliance for dog licensing is an ongoing project for us. We want to remind people it’s important. It is required by law and if you’re caught with a dog that isn’t registered, you could get a ticket,” says Plourde. “The benefits of the licence benefits the dog owners and the community at large.”
You can renew in-person at City Hall or at the Lethbridge Animal Shelter or online at lethbridge.ca/onlineservices before Jan. 1.
“If someone wishes to update their dog licence before they receive their invoice, they can call 3-1-1 and the call centre has access to the licensing information and can help the customer through their renewal or updating any information,” Plourde explains.
According to Plourde, the annual fee for dog licences varies between $20-$50 per year. “Depending on whether the dog has been fixed or if it has any kind of secondary I.D., like a microchip or tattoo.”
The fine for being in the care or control of an unregistered dog is $150.
