It’s easier now to license your pets
By: Staff 06/01/2008
The City of Minneapolis recently approved new rules and discounts that make it more convenient and affordable to make sure your pets are licensed. Under the revised City ordinance, license applications will be easier to get. Animal Care & Control will begin coordinating with local businesses to make it possible for people to purchase a license at veterinary clinics, pet stores, animal day care centers, and other businesses around the city. (Available by Oct. 1)
The price of pet licensing will also go down for many pet owners. People who are 65 years-old or older can license their pet for just $15 a year, which is half off the regular cost of $30 per spayed or neutered dog or cat.
A new “sibling” license discount will be available to people who have more than one dog or cat in their household. The regular $30 fee will apply to the first dog or cat licensed, and other dogs or cats that are spayed or neutered can be licensed for $20 each.
Licensing your pets is required by law, and it also provides benefits to both you and your pet. Licensed animals that are found by Animal Care & Control can be quickly reunited with their owners, often without even having to go to the Animal Care & Control shelter. Fewer pets at the shelter means less taxpayer money spent on them. Licensing also protects public health by requiring current rabies vaccinations, and it also encourages spaying and neutering, which cuts down on the number of unwanted animals.
You could face fines if you don’t have the proper licenses for your pet. Although licensing is required, currently, less than 5 percent of cats and dogs in Minneapolis are licensed. For info visit www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/animal-control/.