Dog owners are being reminded to renew licences for their canine friends to avoid a hefty fine. Pet licences are due for renewal in January each year, but Okotoks municipal enforcement manager Kelly Stienwand said there is a large number of pet owners who haven’t gotten around to it yet in 2018. “Here we are midway through the year with a tremendous amount of past-due dog licences,” said Stienwand. When someone has a dog registered with the Town, they receive an invoice and reminder in the mail prior to the January deadline, he said. This year, more people than usual have not complied. “We’re doing our best to get the word out and encourage people to come and ensure their dog is licensed appropriately to avoid the necessity to issue fines,” said Stienwand. There are some licences still outstanding from 2017 as well, he said. It becomes a drain on resources, as office staff are digging out information for each file and contacting pet owners to give them time to comply, he said. In some cases of non-compliance, a $250 fine is issued, he said. Municipal enforcement may begin mailing out the fines to dog owners with outstanding registrations as of July 1, he said. It’s important to have dogs registered with the Town, said Stienwand. “Information from dog licences helps peace officers reunite dogs with their owners and we do a lot of these services each year,” he said. “When people see a dog that’s missing or lost we have chip readers and the licence information will help us quickly identify an owner.” The $25 registration fee also helps dog owners in the long run, he said. Funds received from dog licences go towards things like doggy bags and dispensers along walking paths in town, he said. They also help pay fees to partners like Heaven Can Wait, which helps with lost or injured animals found around Okotoks, he said. “Okotoks is a great place to own a pet – we see a lot of members of our community who do,” said Stienwand. “We’re very proud of the healthy community we have here and the dog licensing program contributes in a significant way to maintaining that standard we have here.” Licences can be renewed at the Okotoks Municipal Building or online at www.okotoks.ca. To remove a lost or deceased animal from the registry, call the Town office at 403-938-4404.
