Delaware County Council reminds all dog owners to protect their pets with a current or lifetime dog license which is required by law and also ensures the safety of pets. A current dog license is the best way to ensure a dog’s safe return if he or she gets lost, and it automatically lists the dog in the County’s “Return a Lost Dog” database.
2019 dog licenses are now available at the Treasurer’s office at the County Government Center in Media and at other locations throughout the county. Dog owners can apply for the license online and their license will be mailed to their home within seven business days.
Each year, animal control officers report that many stray canines are turned in to shelters because they lack the proper identification to be reunited with their owners. Fees collected through dog licensing are used by the state Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement to protect the safety, health, and welfare of dogs. Fees are used to inspect and license kennels, investigate dog bites, prevent and investigate cruelty to dogs, assist humane organizations and provide educational services.
There are several options to obtain a current dog license: by visiting the Delaware County Treasurer’s Office, or visiting one of the 13 authorized vendor locations; doing an online application and mailing a check or money order; printing the online application and mailing it in with a check or money order; or applying and paying online by credit card or PayPal with a small convenience fee.
State law requires that owners of dogs, three months and older, get a license every year, or have a lifetime license. Failure to license a dog is a summary offense that can result in a maximum fine of $300 per unlicensed dog. State law also requires that dogs have a current rabies vaccination. The state fee for an annual license for a spayed or neutered dog is $6.50; for all other dogs, the fee is $8.50; a lifetime license for spayed or neutered dogs is $31.50, and $51.50 for all others. Discounts are available to senior citizens 65 and older and people with disabilities.
Microchip forms are not available online and must be acquired at the Treasurer’s Office. If registering by mail, residents must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. For information on obtaining a 2019 dog license or the Return a Lost Dog program, call (610) 891-4276. Licenses, forms and information on the Return a Lost Dog Program and microchipping are available at the County Treasurer’s Office, on the ground floor of the Government Center in Media. For more information and to access forms which can be downloaded, residents can visit: https://www.delcopa.gov/treasurer/dog.html