The process of licensing a dog in Arlington is less onerous than it used to be, but efforts are underway to streamline it further.
Until recent years, dog owners were required to come to the treasurer’s office in person to present the required rabies certificate and pay the fee. More recently, an online option was added, but it remains a two-step process.
“It’s still a clunky process,” Treasurer Carla de la Pava told ARLnow. “We’re trying to upgrade. We’re going to get better.”
Residents must fill out the form and upload the rabies certificate online. After a review that could take up to five business days, the applicant receives information on making a payment and completes the transaction.
In the future, de la Pava hopes to develop a system where everything can happen at one time.
“We’re trying to make it even more user-friendly,” she said.
A 2019 change in state law eliminated the need for residents to renew dog licenses on an annual basis. Arlington currently charges $30 for a lifetime license.
There is no fee for service animals, but they also must be licensed. Licenses and fees are not required for cats or other domestic animals.
It may be an urban legend, but county lore suggests that, years back, a previous treasurer would annually hold a contest at the County Fair where residents could enter their name, address and dog’s name for a prize.
The story goes that staff would then go through all the submissions to determine what dogs were unlicensed, and send those residents a notice.
If it ever happened, that type of enforcement effort does not occur now, officials with the office said.
De la Pava acknowledged that many Arlington dog owners don’t bother getting a license. There are no specific numbers, but compliance is “nowhere near” 100%, she told ARLnow.
