Pet Patrol: Seattle Animal Shelter Ramps Up its Zero Tolerance Licensing Policy
In the last few years, Seattle's various animal control entities, particularly the Seattle Animal Shelter, have been just as impacted by budget cuts as everyone else. This is, in part, because while other services (like Metro and City Light) require users to pay for services rendered, the Seattle Animal Shelter has a hard time policing citizens--much of their revenue comes from pet licenses, which can difficult to monitor. So this summer, they're sending out the dog catcher to crack down on fee-dodgers.
If you've licensed your pet, give yourself a little back-pat: you've done your part. But if you haven't, you and your little buddy are not only depriving the Animal Shelter of the critical funds that it needs to remain operational, you're also running the risk of receiving a steep fine from Animal Shelter employees, who will be patrolling parks and other public places. The cost for having your unlicensed pet in public? Up to $125.
There are a lot of good reasons to license your pet. The licensing fee itself, which ranges from $20 to $69, depending on the animal (dog or cat) and whether or not the pet has been spayed or neutered**, goes toward keeping the Seattle Animal Shelter open and running, and helps maintain baseline funding for Animal Shelter employees. It also goes toward providing low-cost spaying and neutering, to assist in keeping the pet population at a manageable level. Additionally, the Shelter says, "an unaccompanied injured animal wearing a license is more likely to receive veterinary care than a non-licensed animal."
According to the Animal Shelter, only 17% of pets nationwide at licensed. In a time when shelters are closing and euthanasia of unclaimed animals is prevalent, licensing your pet is a simple way to contribute back to your city's animal services, and ensure that the Seattle Animal Shelter can continue to help return lost pets, find homes for strays and generally cut down on neglect and other sad things.
You don't have to become a lifetime ASPCA member to help the Seattle Animal Shelter. You do, however, have to license your pet. Because it is the law.
**One more reason, aside from gross overpopulation of pets, crowded shelters, and a general lack of funding for unwanted dogs and cats, to get yours fixed. You will save money. Yeah, that sarcasm WAS thinly veiled. I could see how it would easily be missed.
Seattle Animal Control - News
In the last few years, Seattle's various animal control entities, particularly the Seattle Animal Shelter, have been just as impacted by budget cuts as everyone else. This is, in part, because while other services (like Metro and City Light) require
When Sprague's first dog, April, got too busy, the company added May and June, who all started out as mutts in an animal shelter, Mulloy said. Now the company is evaluating whether to add a new dog, Julius, to meet the demand.
But running in a gubernatorial race against Inslee -- whose district includes the northwest part of King County -- is a different animal. And overall, Washington remains a blue state, especially in the population centers west of the Cascades.
He's an animal for someone at that stage in his career. He's a man right now.'' Williams believes Rivers will instantly become Duke's best player and biggest focus. “He's going to experience a lot of pressure to be the guy,'' said Williams,
An animal farm located in Everett, Washington has been implicated in a recent outbreak of E. coli among 2 children and 2 adults who recently visited the farm. The Seattle Times reports that the exact strain of E. coli has not yet been determined.
The Scoop » Seattle Animal Shelter continues aggressive pet ...
SEATTLE – As the weather begins to improve and pet owners allow their animals to go outside, household pets are at higher risk of being accidentally lost or stolen. To protect pets, the Seattle Animal Shelter continues its aggressive campaign to make sure pet owners license their pets.
“A license is like a life insurance policy for your pet. If your pet gets lost and doesn’t have a license tag or a microchip, the odds are you‘ll never see your pet again,” says Shelter Director Don Jordan.
Without exception, and as part of the shelter’s “zero tolerance policy” regarding unlicensed pets, animal control officers will continue patrolling city parks and neighborhoods and will issue citations to pet owners for each pet without a current license. The fine for having an unlicensed pet is $125 per animal.
“Only 17 percent of the nation’s 3.8 million stray dogs and two percent of the nation’s 2.3 million stray cats ever make it home again. It is our sincere hope that the dual protection of having both a pet license and a permanent microchip will increase the odds that you and your pet are reunited if your pet is ever lost or stolen. And with more pets licensed, fewer animals will have to be euthanized each year,” says Jordan.
Officers will be following up this summer with known delinquent pet owners who have expired licenses, according to the shelter’s database, and will also conduct emphasis patrols in specific parks and off-leash areas to ensure compliance with pet licensing laws.
The costs for pet licenses are: Cat: one-year $30 ($20 if spayed or neutered); or two-years $45 ($27 if spayed or neutered).
If a pet wearing its license shows up at the shelter, the owner is notified. If officers find a licensed pet in the field, they will attempt to return it to its owner instead of taking it to the shelter. Experience shows that an unaccompanied injured animal wearing a license is more likely to receive veterinary care than a non-licensed animal.
Revenue from pet license fees helps support efforts such as protecting public safety, preventing animal cruelty, solving nuisance animal problems and providing low-cost spay and neuter services in Seattle.
The Seattle Animal Shelter is located at 2061 15th Ave. W., approximately one mile south of the Ballard Bridge. Pet licensing hours are Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. For more information, call (206) 386-PETS (7387) or visit www.seattleanimalshelter.org to learn more about pet licensing or purchase a pet license online.
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