The State of Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 22-338 requires Connecticut pet owners to license their dogs; the only exception is any dog kept under a kennel license. Specifically, Connecticut dogs are licensed when they hit 6 months and by June 30th annually. Among other things, dog licensing provides vaccination and sterilization benefits for Connecticut Shoreline families. Today, we want to highlight the importance of staying up-to-date with your dogs’ Connecticut Shoreline dog licenses.
Requirements for Connecticut Dog Licenses
Dogs must be vaccinated against rabies to be licensed in their respective Connecticut towns. Dog parents must provide a rabies certificate or copy proving that their dog has been vaccinated against rabies. The certificate must include the date of the vaccination and the duration of the immunity provided for the vaccine they received, usually one or three years. A license will only be issued if the rabies certificate is valid at the time of licensing.
Rabies is a contagious and dangerous bacteria, usually spread by infected wildlife, namely bats. Because rabies is zoonotic, meaning that it can spread to humans as well as other companion animals, preventing rabies is of critical importance to our community. Rabies is usually fatal therefore protecting your pet from rabies through vaccination is key.
Cost of Connecticut Dog Licenses
The cost of Connecticut dog licenses is negligible. For spayed and neutered dogs, the cost is only $8. Unaltered dogs incur a $19 annual licensing fee. A portion of the collected funds goes to the Animal Population Control Fund (APCF), which funds sterilization and vaccination benefits for any unsterilized dog or cat adopted from a municipal impound facility in Connecticut. A smaller portion then goes to the Department of Agriculture (DOAg).
According to CGA.CT.GOV, the remaining funds collected from license fees may only be used for the following purposes, unless written permission is granted by the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture:
1. the compensation of municipal animal control officers (ACOs) or for ACO equipment,
2. license certificates,
3. tags,
4. the construction and maintenance of dog pounds,
5. the detention and care of impounded dogs,
6. dog supplies, and
7. such veterinary fees as are provided for by law or regulations.
Licenses for Other Companion Animals
Currently, the State of Connecticut only requires that dogs obtain licenses. Cats and other small mammals are not licensed in Connecticut at this time. Similarly, reptiles and birds do not require licensing.
While the State may not require licensing for other species of companion animals, we encourage you to have your cats and small mammals vaccinated against rabies per your veterinarian’s recommendations. As stated, rabies is fatal and highly contagious.
Compliance with Dog Licensing Requirements
As professional pet sitters, we operate under the laws set by our state and local government. We, therefore, urge our existing and new clients to register and vaccinate pets per state and local law. We also ask that you consider our safety when discussing vaccinations with your veterinary team. Because our professional pet care providers are consistently exposed to unfamiliar pets, the pets in our care must be up-to-date on lifesaving vaccinations and preventative treatments.
To learn more about our team of pet care professionals and our policies, please contact us by phone or text at 860-964-0464 or via email at info@cthappypaws.com.
We specialize in dog walking, dog hiking adventures, and pet sitting services in the following areas:
- Old Saybrook
- Essex, Ivoryton & Centerbrook
- Deep River
- Chester
- Westbrook
- Clinton
- Old Lyme
- East Lyme
- Niantic
Certain Parts and Certain Service Hours in:
- Lyme and Madison
- Waterford, New London, Groton
- Uncasville, Gales Ferry, Mystic, Noank
