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Lynden Magnoli renewed her golden retriever's dog license Wednesday. And Town Clerk Donna Anastasia said 400 Weston residents had already done the same for their pooches.
"I'd hate for my dog to get out. At least there's one more way for someone to call us if he shows up," said Magnoli. She once found a dog in her yard who was not registered, and she had no way to find its owner. Luckily, the owner came by three hours later to claim his pet.
Anastasia said licenses are a dog's "ticket home." Last year, she licensed eight kennels and more than 1,300 dogs.
"It seems people own more than one dog now. ... A couple people own more than 20 dogs, and it's not a kennel," said Anastasia. A dog recently jumped into someone's car in Weston who had a tag from 2009, and Anastasia found the owner. The dog licenses are indexed with the communications center, the town clerk and the animal control officer.
"Most people get their dogs vaccinated. This is one more way to make sure we're all protected," Magnoli said. Two members of her family had to get rabies shots not because of a dog and Magnoli said it was "not a pleasant experience."
To receive a dog license, the owner must bring a valid rabies certificate for their animal. "One year, the animal control officer went door-to-door checking for dogs. There were so many whose rabies immunizations had expired Dr. Noonan was having trouble keeping up with appointments. If we don't police it, people let it lapse," said Anastasia.
Licenses cost $8 if the dog is spayed or neutered and $19 if not. Kennel licenses cost $51 for up to 10 dogs. There is a $1 late fee for each month or part of a month after June.
Anastasia will speak at a Doggie Fair on Saturday at the Weston Town Hall from 2 to 3 p.m. The Girl Scouts will host the event.
More than five people have brought their dogs along with them to town hall for their licenses. Anastasia has met a chocolate Labrador and an apricot toy poodle. Her favorite names so far are Miles the Morky and Dumbledore Gandalf.
Do you have a cute picture of your licensed pooch? Send it to shenry@thedailyweston.com.
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