2024 Dog Licenses available at County Treasurer's Office; All Dogs Must be Licensed by Jan. 1

Pennsylvanians can now purchase 2024 dog licenses from their county treasurers. State law requires all dogs three months and older to be licensed by Jan. 1 of each year.

The Dog Law Modernization Bill signed into law in October 2023 will revise license and kennel fees, and add protections for Pennsylvania dogs, consumers, and communities beginning January 21, 2024.

For 2024 licenses purchased by January 31, 2024, an annual license is $8.70, and a lifetime license is $51.70. If the animal is spayed or neutered, the annual fee is $6.70, and lifetime is $31.70. Discounts are available to older adults and people with disabilities.

The small license fee helps the millions of dogs in the state by funding the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement.

For details on new protections under Pennsylvania’s Dog Laws that will take effect January 21, 2024, visit agriculture.pa.gov and search “dog law enforcement.”

The dog license application is simple. It only requires owner contact information and details about the dog, including name, age, breed, and color.

In Pike County, dog licenses can be purchased at the Pike County Treasurer’s Office, 506 Broad Street, Milford, PA, or at Dawn’s Title & Tag, 625 Rt. 739, Suite B, Lords Valley, PA.

Pike County Treasurer John Gilpin offered these reasons for dog licensing:

• A license is the best way to get your dog back if they get lost. A license helps animal control and shelters identify a dog and its rightful owners, and anyone can see the dog’s tag. Microchips are not always easy to find.
• It’s the law. All dogs three months and older must have a current license.
• The cost of a license is far less than the penalty for being caught without one. Owners who fail to license their dogs can face a fine of up to $300 for each unlicensed dog.
• License fees support animal control and public safety. The annual fee to license a dog helps keep shelters running and supports the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement’s vital services to protect dogs and the public. Last year, the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement:
  • Enforced health and safety regulations, upholding Pennsylvania’s high standards for conditions in kennels by licensing 2,826 operations and conducting more than 5,924 inspections.
  • Investigated nearly 655 dog bites, and monitored 753 dogs deemed dangerous by magisterial judges, helping to ensure that dog owners keep dangerous dogs under control.

For more information on dog licenses, contact the Pike County Treasurer’s Office at 570-296-3441 or visit www.pikepa.org/treasurer. For a list of county treasurers, visit www.licenseyourdogPA.com or call the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement Office at 717-787-3062.

Photo ID: Pike County Treasurer John Gilpin and his puppy Maine.