Dog Owners of the Granite State

April means it is time to get your dog licenses. Dogs 4 months old or over must be licensed on or before April 30.  Dog licenses are available from your town clerk.  In order to get a dog license, you must bring proof that your dog’s rabies vaccination is current.

FEES

If the dog has been neutered or spayed, a certificate must be furnished (if licensing for the first time).  New Hampshire has a sliding scale of dog license fees with puppies under 7 months and spayed or neutered dogs getting a discount. In addition to the dog license fee, there is a $2.00 fee that goes to the state’s Companion Animal Neutering Fund.  This fund provides low-income dog and cat owners with low-cost spaying and neutering of their pets.

The state fees are (towns may add up to $1.00 to these fees):

• 4 months old but less than 7 months (not spayed or neutered) $ 4.50
• 7 months old or older (spayed or neutered) $4.5o
• 7 months old or older (not spayed or neutered) $7.00
• Owners who have 5 or more dogs may get a group license for a set fee of  $20.00

A Senior Citizen (65 or older) does not have to pay the companion animal population control fee and gets a discount for the licensing of his/her first dog. If they have more than one dog, they will be charged the regular fee for the additional dogs. Service dogs and guide dogs must be licensed.  However, upon providing an identification card from a recognized training agency or school, they are exempt from paying a fee as are military dogs who received an honorable discharge.

WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?

$2.00 goes the state’s Companion Animal Neutering Fund.  This fund provides low-income dog and cat owners with low-cost spaying and neutering of their pets.

$1.00 goes to the Town Clerk

.50¢ goes to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

The rest goes to the town or city.

HB 1596 – relative to the civil forfeiture of unlicensed dogs makes changes to the licensing law.  It shortens the grace period for late licensing of dogs and increases the costs.

• Changes from  between June 1 and June 20  to between May 15 and May 31 as the date for the town clerk to create a list of unlicensed dogs.
• Sets June 10 as the latest date for the town to issue a forfeiture warrant for unlicensed dogs.
• Doubles the costs of service of the forfeiture warrant from $5 to $10.

Don’t forget – April is dog license month in New Hampshire.  According to an article in the Eagle Tribune, dog licenses are down this year.  If your dog isn’t licensed by the end of April, a fine is added to the cost of the licensing.

So, don’t delay – Get your dogs licensed before the end of April!