If you’re new to town you’ll need to license your dog with the county. Licensing your pet with Maricopa County is a crucial step in responsible pet ownership. It not only serves as a legal requirement in Maricopa County but also plays a pivotal role in ensuring the safety and well-being of both your pet and the community. Licensed pets are more likely to be reunited with their owners if they get lost, as the license provides a clear identification link. Additionally, licensing fees (only $19!) often contribute to community programs that benefit animals, such as vaccination clinics and spaying/neutering initiatives. By licensing your pet, you actively participate in maintaining a secure and organized environment for pets and their owners while supporting broader efforts to enhance animal welfare within your community.

Here is what Maricopa County’s website states…

There are many benefits to licensing your dog every year:

• A free ride home!  If picked up at large by an Animal Control officer, your lost dog will be returned to you the same day (whenever possible) without having to come to the shelter.

• Saves you money. If we pick up your lost dog and can’t reach you, the first 24 hours at the shelter will be at no charge. Also, if your dog bites someone, it may be eligible for home quarantine, rather than being quarantined at your expense in our facility or at a veterinary hospital.

• Keeps your dog safer. You are registered as the dog’s owner in our database, which helps us to reunite you more quickly with your dog. We follow a minimum of 120 hours for Hold-Notify of a licensed dog that comes into the shelter, compared to a minimum stray hold of 72 hours, giving you more time to find your lost pet. 

• Helps prevent rabies. Dogs must have a current rabies vaccination to apply for, or renew, a dog license in Maricopa County. Rabies is a potentially fatal disease for humans and animals. 

• Saves other pets. Licensing fees directly support the daily care of the 30,000 animals that enter the shelter each year as they wait to find their forever homes. 

• It’s the law. In Maricopa County, all dogs three months and older must be licensed. The tag you receive the first time your dog is licensed should always be attached to its collar as proof that your dog has been licensed. This will help you avoid a citation and fees for failure to license.

For more information, please visit: https://www.maricopa.gov/226/Dog-License

P.S. Don’t forget to update your pet’s microchip information as well!