Last Friday morning, Universal Hub announced, "Starting today, Boston residents can get or renew a dog license onlline."
I popped over and gave it a test. Since my dog Poppy was already licensed, I typed in her current license number and all my information was filled in by the system.
Because we had a new three year rabies certificate, I took a photo of it, corrected the dates of her vaccination, and uploaded the photo as requested. Her spay certificate was already on file and the system had already set my option for a $6 license for a spay/neuter dog.
Once I checked that all the information on file was correct, I paid with a credit card. There is a small fee for processing the credit card so my licence will be sent to me for $7.
There are so many reasons why you should license your dog. Obviously, the information helps the city find you if your dog is lost or stolen. It assures anyone who has to help your dog that the animal has its rabies vaccination, since you can't get a license without one.
But, most important, it tells the city government how many residents need services for their animals. If you want dog parks, shared dog recreation spaces, changes that would allow you to have your dog join you on restaurant patios, and not be prohibitied from parks and other public places, you need to be counted.
If you don't want to register online, you can do it by mail or in person. If your dog is already licensed, you should receive a renewal package this week or next. If not, you can download the form or pick one up and complete the process at City Hall, the Boston Animal Shelter, or at a scheduled stop for the City Hall To Go Truck.
All the details are at this new Dog License page.
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon
Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny Cherubino; screen shot from the City of Boston website.