MILFORD, PA ― Pennsylvania dog owners can now purchase 2022 dog licenses from their county treasurer’s office.

State law requires that all dogs three months and older must be licensed by January 1 of each year, regardless of when the license was purchased the previous year. Failing to secure a license can result in a fine ranging from $25 to $300 per unlicensed animal.

An annual dog license costs $8.50, or $6.50 if the animal is spayed or neutered. If the owner is a senior citizen or a person with a disability, an annual license costs $6.50, or $4.50, if the animal is spayed or neutered.

Lifetime licenses are available for dogs that have permanent identification, such as a microchip or tattoo. Lifetime licenses cost $51.50, or $31.50 for animals that are spayed or neutered. The cost for a senior citizen or person with a disability is $31.50, or $21.50 if the pet is spayed or neutered.

The dog license application is simple and only requests contact information for the owner, and details about the dog that is being licensed, such as its name, age, breed and color.

For Pike County residents, the application is accessible online at https://www.pikepa.org, under the “Government” heading on the“Treasurer’s Office” page.

Individuals must mail the completed application to the Pike County Treasurer’s Office, 506 Broad St., Milford, PA 18337.

Pike County treasurer John Gilpin offered these reasons for dog licensing:

The Pike County treasurer’s office maintains a database of licenses issued. This database enables lost dogs to be reunited with their rightful owners.

Having a dog license helps animal control officers and shelters identify a dog and its rightful owners.

Licensing your dog is a state-mandated law, enforced by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

The cost of acquiring a dog license is significantly less than the penalty for being caught without one. Owners who fail to license their dog could face a fine of up to $300 per unlicensed dog, as well as court costs.

The fee attached to dog licenses supports animal control, including helping to keep shelters running, and also supports the work of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement, which provides numerous vital services to protect dogs and the public.

Last year, the bureau enforced health-and-safety regulations in kennels by licensing 2,428 operations and conducting more than 5,200 kennel inspections; it helped to secure more than 4,500 stray dogs, placing them in shelters until those that were licensed could be reunited with their owners.

The bureau issued more than 3,000 citations and filed 115 misdemeanor complaints for violations of the Dog Law, including failing to license dogs, abandoning dogs, and allowing them to run at large.

The bureau also investigated nearly 1,500 dog bites and investigated and monitored 587 dogs that were deemed by magisterial justices to be dangerous.

For more information on dog licenses, lifetime microchips or tattoos, contact Pike County Treasurer John Gilpin at 570/296-3441 or visit https://www.pikepa.org/treasurer.

For a list of county treasurers, go to https://www.licenseyourdogPA.com or call the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement office at 717/781-3062.