The Why and How of Dog Licensing

Why you should license your dog:

• A license provides an easy means for identifying you as its owner.  If your dog is injured, his license may help others notify you quickly, possibly saving your dog's life. If an Animal Control Officer rescues your lost dog, the license may enable the Officer to return the dog directly to you, thereby saving both you and your dog a trip to the Shelter.

• A Sonoma County dog license also provides important proof of current rabies vaccination.  Rabies exists in Sonoma County in certain wild animals as well as domestic animals that become infected through contact with them.  Every year hundreds of County residents are bitten by dogs, and some residents will be required to undergo rabies treatment because the dog was not wearing a license to indicate its vaccination status.

• It's the law.  County ordinances require annual licensing for all dogs over four months of age.  Owners must license any dog within 30 days of acquiring a new dog or moving to the unincorporated area of the County. Failure to comply results in annual penalties equivalent to the amount of the license due.
  Penalty Appeal Form

How to license your dog:

• County of Sonoma licensing fees are $16 for spayed or neutered dogs, and $32 for unaltered dogs.
  
  City of Santa Rosa licensing fees are $15 for spayed or neutered dogs, and $30 for unaltered dogs.
  
  Windsor licensing fees are $16 for spayed or neutered dogs, and $32 for unaltered dogs.
  
  Cloverdale licensing fees are $9 for spayed or neutered dogs, and $18 for unaltered dogs. Seniors 62 years or older are entitled to a half discount on two dog licenses.
   
• To purchase your dog's license by mail, fill out our license application, , enclose a copy of your dog's rabies vaccination certificate and spay/neuter certificate (if applicable) and a check for the appropriate fee. Your license will be sent to you by mail along with a receipt.
   
• Replacement Tags are $6.00 for Unincorporated Sonoma County and Town of Windsor residents; $5.00 for City of Santa Rosa Residents, and $3.00 for Cloverdale residents.
   

To purchase your dog's license in person, you may go to the following locations:

• Sonoma County Animal Shelter, 1247 Century Court, Santa Rosa
• All Tails Wagging Veterinary Clinic, 2312 Bethards Drive #2, Santa Rosa
  (For All Tails Wagging Vet Clinic Clients only - thank you.)
• Analy Veterinary Hospital, 900 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol
• Humane Society, 5345 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa
• Sonoma Veterinary Clinic, 21003 Broadway, Sonoma

We would like to thank everyone listed above for their participation.

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