Pet owners who renew their dog licences every year are not only meeting legal requirements, they are also taking an important step to ensure the safety of their four-legged friends.
And thanks to a new online payment system offered by Langley Township, residents can renew their licences from the comfort of their home or office, at any time of day or night.
“It’s a very powerful system,” said Sean Baker, the Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS)’ general manager.
“It updates information almost immediately and puts us in the position to respond 24/7.”
Anyone who owns a dog over four months of age is required to buy a licence, which is essentially a permit to own the dog. Fees derived from dog licensing partially fund the services LAPS provide, but more importantly, dog licences give owners peace of mind.
“Accidents happen,” Baker said. “Gates get left open, wind blows down fences. If your dog is running loose and we find it and it is licensed and wearing a tag, we are in a better position to find you and return your dog safely and quickly.”
Renewing the dog licence every year gives LAPS accurate, up-to-date contact information, something that other forms of pet identification can’t guarantee. With tattooing or a micro-chip, records stay with the vet, but if the clinic shuts down or is closed for the night or weekend, the information cannot be retrieved. As well, if the pet owner moves and doesn’t tell the vet the new address, the contact data will be outdated.
If a dog is licensed and tagged, LAPS staff control the information – not a third party – and can quickly access a data base to find its owners with the most current contact information possible.
Dog licence renewal notices were sent out in December.
“Dog owners should feel good about it, knowing that the money is going to care for animals and helps run the Patti Dale Animal Shelter, which is an amazing facility,” Baker said. “You never know when you may need our services one day.”
Those who do not license their dogs face a $250 penalty.
Dog licence fees have not been raised in the Township of Langley since 2005.
To renew a licence online visit www. tol.ca/onlineservices.