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SUMMIT COUNTY - If you want to keep your pet by your side for the long term, keep its tags on and its license current.
All too often in Summit County, animals wind up in the local shelter without a license or identification, making it difficult for staff to reunite strays with their owners.
"At least 70 percent come in without tags," said Summit County Animal Shelter director Nancy Ring. "And less than 5 percent have microchips. We're actually lucky if an animal even has a rabies tag. There are way too many animals that come in without a rabies tag or a collar at all."
Summit County and the towns of Silverthorne, Dillon and Blue River require dog owners to license their pets. Cat licenses are optional. The four entities have a centralized database through which they share licensing information, facilitating speedier reunions for lost pets.
Breckenridge and Frisco each have separate databases of pet license information. The town of Frisco requires both dog owners and cat owners to license their animals.
"We will always make an attempt to contact the owners before we take an animal to the shelter," said Breckenridge Police Department's Crystal Dean. "But if it's not licensed, we don't have a way to contact them."
And keeping a license current saves more than headaches - it can save an animal's life as well. If authorities pick up an injured animal, a vet is not allowed to treat it if it doesn't have identification, even in an emergency.
"A vet will not be able to do anything to help an animal that's been hit by a car or had trauma unless it has identification, because the vet has to get permission from the owner. If the county picks up an animal with no tags - depending on how critical the injuries are - it can be euthanized as opposed to being treated for those injuries," Ring said. "Or it can just sit there and will perhaps die without being able to be treated."
According to Ring, many newcomers to Summit County neglect to license their pets when they arrive.
"Some people may be unaware that a license is required for all of Summit County. And people who don't license are issued a citation. Since rabies vaccinations are also required by law, often we will cite for both," Ring said.
Pet owners can obtain one-year or three-year licenses at their town halls, Summit County Animal Shelter or their police departments. A one-year license costs $15 for a spayed or neutered animal and $40 for a nonsterilized animal.
"Most people think the reason for licensing is to put money into government coffers. But the main purpose of a license is to reunite a stray with its owner. That process is only as effective as our ability to be kept abreast of the right owner contact information," Ring said.
Julie Sutor can be reached at (970) 668-3998, ext. 203, or at jsutor@summitdaily.com.
All too often in Summit County, animals wind up in the local shelter without a license or identification, making it difficult for staff to reunite strays with their owners.
"At least 70 percent come in without tags," said Summit County Animal Shelter director Nancy Ring. "And less than 5 percent have microchips. We're actually lucky if an animal even has a rabies tag. There are way too many animals that come in without a rabies tag or a collar at all."
Summit County and the towns of Silverthorne, Dillon and Blue River require dog owners to license their pets. Cat licenses are optional. The four entities have a centralized database through which they share licensing information, facilitating speedier reunions for lost pets.
Breckenridge and Frisco each have separate databases of pet license information. The town of Frisco requires both dog owners and cat owners to license their animals.
"We will always make an attempt to contact the owners before we take an animal to the shelter," said Breckenridge Police Department's Crystal Dean. "But if it's not licensed, we don't have a way to contact them."
And keeping a license current saves more than headaches - it can save an animal's life as well. If authorities pick up an injured animal, a vet is not allowed to treat it if it doesn't have identification, even in an emergency.
"A vet will not be able to do anything to help an animal that's been hit by a car or had trauma unless it has identification, because the vet has to get permission from the owner. If the county picks up an animal with no tags - depending on how critical the injuries are - it can be euthanized as opposed to being treated for those injuries," Ring said. "Or it can just sit there and will perhaps die without being able to be treated."
According to Ring, many newcomers to Summit County neglect to license their pets when they arrive.
"Some people may be unaware that a license is required for all of Summit County. And people who don't license are issued a citation. Since rabies vaccinations are also required by law, often we will cite for both," Ring said.
Pet owners can obtain one-year or three-year licenses at their town halls, Summit County Animal Shelter or their police departments. A one-year license costs $15 for a spayed or neutered animal and $40 for a nonsterilized animal.
"Most people think the reason for licensing is to put money into government coffers. But the main purpose of a license is to reunite a stray with its owner. That process is only as effective as our ability to be kept abreast of the right owner contact information," Ring said.
Julie Sutor can be reached at (970) 668-3998, ext. 203, or at jsutor@summitdaily.com.
