Becoming a Legal Beagle is a Little Less “Ruff”

By on August 4, 2008 3:53 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Government, Health, News, Pets

Mayor Mike Bloomberg was joined by Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Animal Care & Control Executive Director Charlene Pedrolie, and NY Council of Dog Owner Groups Vice President Matthew Parker in Hillside Park this afternoon to launch a website where dog owners can obtain and renew licenses for their pets.

The site is geared toward making the licensing process faster and easier, therefore encouraging more people to comply with the state’s requirements. Currently, it is estimated that 20 percent of the city’s 500,000 dogs are unlicensed. While it can take as many as seven weeks to obtain a license through the mail, the online system promises a license within 10 to 14 business days.

When asked about Pit Bulls, the Mayor said that though they are not known for their pleasant disposition, there are no plans to outlaw any breed of dog. Parks Commissioner Benepe was quick to step in and point out that owner responsibility is the biggest factor in the temperament of dogs, and not an inherent trait of the canines themselves.

The fee for a first-time license is $11.50, while renewals are $8.50 for spayed or neutered dogs and $11.50 for those that are not.

Photos by Marc Hermann for BHB.

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  • Matthew Parker

    Homer:

    Thanks for running this. And thanks to the Bloomberg Administration from Hizzoner to Commissioners Benepe and Frieden– all very pro-dog owner. These folks realize that as NYC has become more livable in the past decade, more people are getting dogs, raising families here, and it’s nice to see the government responding to the needs about 1/5 of the City households who own dogs.

    A message to my fellow dog owners: License Your Dog.

    It will help you recover your dog in case of a loss or accident, and is your proof of ownership. Dog licensing also helps the city with spay/neutering programs which has resulted in a 70% reduction in the dog euthenasia rate at Animal Care & Control. And if all of that isn’t enough for you, it’s the law and only costs $8.50 if your dog is spayed/neutered ($11.50 if it’s not). Now that the process is online, no dog owner has an excuse for noncompliance.

    See y’all at Hillside.