Denver pet house owners are largely unaware — or select to disregard — the town’s longstanding requirement that they buy an annual license for his or her companions, with a minority of canine and cat dad and mom complying with metropolis ordinance.
Dogs and cats have to be licensed as soon as they’re no less than six months old and inside 30 days of residing in Denver, in accordance with the city regulations. Because it’s a requirement, pet house owners in violation can obtain warnings and even fines, though that’s uncommon.
More than 9,500 pet house owners had obtained licenses in 2023 as of September, the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment stated.
That’s a slim proportion of the town’s four-legged inhabitants, which Denver Parks and Recreation estimates at greater than 150,000 for dogs alone. That places Denver beneath the standard compliance fee for pet licensing nationally, which Lt. Josh Rolfe with Denver Animal Protection says is round 15-20% of animals in counties or cities that require licenses.
In neighboring Aurora, compliance can be low — estimated at about 9%, metropolis spokesman Michael Brannen stated.
Amy Keyes, 41, moved to Denver this 12 months from Buffalo, N.Y., the place she beforehand licensed her canine. Still, she had “no idea” about her new home’s license requirement for Rey, her three-year-old Australian Shepherd-Husky combine, she stated lately whereas visiting Zeckenbark Dog Park at 601 Lincoln St.
She stated the town may higher get the phrase out by partnering with house buildings to mandate the licenses, however “I honestly don’t understand what the need for it is,” Keyes stated. “I don’t think it’s necessary.”
But for Denverite Justin Pera, the license requirement ensures that his one-year-old Golden Retriever, Zelda, is protected to play with different pets which might be additionally neutered and vaccinated.
“I want all the dogs licensed in the city,” he stated.
Once Zelda reached the age when she might be spayed, Pera registered her with the town, paying for a three-year license. “It’s really easy,” he added.
A one-year license costs $15, whereas a three-year license is $40. A license that spans the lifetime of the pet, with no expiration date, prices $150. Residents ages 65 and older can acquire a three-year license without spending a dime, as can service animal house owners.
“Most major cities and urban environments require pets to be licensed,” Rolfe stated. “It helps get a sense of how many animals are out in the community, and — to be completely honest — it’s also a revenue generator for the city.”
Last 12 months, greater than $362,000 in income went into Denver’s basic fund, which primarily operates Denver Animal Protection, DDPHE spokesperson Tammy Vigil stated.
The pet license ordinance has been on the books since no less than 1995, although it might predate that 12 months, she stated.
The license advantages pet house owners by serving to them reunite with misplaced animals extra shortly than occurs with customary pet microchips, Rolfe stated. Their tags embody a QR code that hyperlinks to a pet profile with the proprietor’s contact data, which he known as “a value-add to the pet owner.”
How to get a pet license
To acquire the required license, the pet have to be vaccinated in opposition to rabies and spayed or neutered.
Denver pet house owners should buy their licenses on the Denver Animal Shelter, 1241 Bayaud Ave., or on-line at PetData.com.
Notably, pit bull house owners can’t license their pets on-line. They should go to the town’s shelter to get each their license and a breed-restricted allow.
Pet house owners with out licenses will sometimes obtain warnings earlier than it progresses to citations, Rolfe stated. Within a 12-month interval, the primary violation is $75 and the second jumps to $100, with each subsequent violation fined at $200.
However, if the proprietor purchases a license inside 15 days of receiving a quotation, then the advantageous is waived absolutely.
Rolfe is attempting to unfold public consciousness and clear up any misconceptions. For occasion: “It’s a very common thing that people think that the rabies tag they get from their vet is the same as the city license,” Rolfe stated.
