This month, pet owners in Seattle can take advantage of a “license amnesty period” to bring their expired pet licenses up to date or purchase new tags for animals not currently licensed, and the city will waive late fees and other penalties.
The easiest way to purchase or renew a pet license is online at www.seattleanimalshelter.org, said Ann Graves, Seattle Animal Shelter acting director. Pet owners can also obtain or renew a license through the mail or at numerous locations throughout Seattle, including the shelter, located at 2061 15th Ave. W., and the city’s customer service centers. Visit http://www.seattle.gov/animal-shelter/license/purchase-or-renew-a-license for a list of payment locations.
“Many pet owners forget to renew their licenses,” Graves said. “This amnesty period will allow those owners to get caught up without having to pay extra fines that could add up to hundreds of dollars. If you live in Seattle and have an unlicensed pet, this is a great time to get its license up to date.”
Graves explained that many people are unaware how a pet license helps to save other animals’ lives.
“Fees from pet licenses help support the Seattle Animal Shelter’s lifesaving work, such as animal rescue, rehabilitation and adoption, criminal investigation of animal cruelty and providing medical care, including low-cost spay and neuter services,” she said. “Your pet license helps your community and saves lives. It’s a little tag that has a big impact.”
Pet licenses also benefit individual pets. A pet license tells the finder of a lost pet or the shelter that the animal is owned and not a stray that should be kept or adopted out, said Graves. The tag provides the shelter’s phone number, giving a good Samaritan an easy way to help without having to find a microchip scanner. And shelter officers that encounter lost pets will use license information to contact owners immediately and many times give those pets a ride home.
In Seattle, owners must license all cats, dogs, miniature goats and potbellied pigs. One-year license fees are as follows:
- Cats: $22 (altered) and $33 (unaltered)
- Dogs: $30 (altered) and $51 (unaltered)
- Goats: $20
- Pigs: $120 for the first year, $30 each subsequent year
More information about Seattle pet license fees is available online at http://www.seattle.gov/animal-shelter/license/licensing-fees.
The Seattle Animal Shelter, located at 2061 15th Ave. W., is open Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions and licensing. For more information, call 206-386-PETS (7387), or view animals available for adoption online at www.seattleanimalshelter.org.