Dog Licenses

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Dog License

In order to license your dog, you will need to provide the proper paperwork from your dog’s veterinarian and the appropriate fee (see below). Each dog is assigned a permanent official identification number and issued a metal ID tag which is to be attached to your dog’s collar and worn at all times.

Veterinarian Paperwork Required

  • RABIES VACCINATION

All dogs 4 months or older must have proof of a valid rabies vaccination showing the date of vaccination and whether it is a 1 year or 3 year vaccine OR a certificate from a licensed veterinarian stating why the life of the dog would be endangered by the vaccine. 

As a reminder, New York State law states that a license cannot be renewed if the rabies is due to expire in less than 30 days.

  • SPAY/NEUTER (if applicable)

If the dog is spayed or neutered, a certificate from a licensed veterinarian must be presented at the time of licensing.  Spay/neuter is not required, however it does reduce the cost of the license.

License Fee

For your convenience, our office is able to license your dog for the length of the rabies vaccination on file (up to 3 years). However, please note that dog license fees are NON-REFUNDABLE.

  Dog Owner Age 0-64 Dog Owner Age 65+*
Spayed or Neutered Dog $9/year $4/year
Non-Spayed or Non-Neutered Dog $18/year $13/year


*The Town began offering reduced fee dog licenses as of January 1, 2022 for dog owners who are 65 or older. Please note that previously paid license fees can not be refunded. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Dog with ball

  1. It’s the law - New York State Agriculture & Markets Law, Article 7, requires that dogs in New York State be licensed and wear their dog license tag.

  2. Easy identification - When wearing a license tag, dogs are easier to identify, enabling them to be reunited with their owner faster.  A license is a lost dog’s ticket home.

  3. Health / safety - By requiring that a dog have valid rabies vaccination prior to licensing, a dog license helps to control and prevent the spread of rabies.

  4. Dog Park - All Monroe County Dog Parks, including the Henrietta Dog Park at Lookup Park, require a valid dog license and rabies vaccination.  For more information, please visit our Dog Park page.

Love Me? License Me! brochure

 

Dog in Doctor Outfit

EVERY dog owned or harbored in New York State for longer than 30 days must be licensed.  The ONLY license exceptions are as follows:

  • Dogs under 4 months of age not running at large;

  • If a non-resident brings a dog into New York State for less than 30 days and the dog is licensed according to the resident state’s licensing laws; and

  • Dogs confined to the premises of any public or private hospital, research institution or a Class A Dealer with a certificate of exemption from the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets.

Dog in chair

Each dog owner will receive a notification by mail and email one month prior to the month that the license expires. At the beginning of the month that the license expires there will be a second reminder by mail as well as an email notification. If the dog license has still not been renewed by the license expiration date, there will be an additional $5 late fee due.

Two dogs

If you have moved or if the dog is no longer a member of your household, please call us at 585-359-7038 or email us at townclerk [at] henrietta.org (townclerk[at]henrietta[dot]org) and we will adjust our records accordingly.

When you hear the saying, “man’s best friend,” many people would smile and immediately think of their dog.  As most of us would agree, we do what we need to protect and care for our dogs.  One step in caring for our pets is licensing them, which is not only a State law, but also an indicator that the dog is up to date on the necessary rabies vaccination protecting them, other dogs, and the people around them.  Once you get the license, do you need to put that tag on the dog?  You did the paperwork; you are up to date, so why bother with putting the tag on?  Maybe you have a small dog, maybe your dog rarely goes out of the house. 

First and foremost, it is a State law that your dog actually wears the license tag, not just that the paperwork is completed.  The license is a visual sign to everyone that you are obeying the law and that your dog is not a danger since they must be up to date on their shots to have one.

The tag is also another level of protection for your dog.  We would all like to think that our dog will never run away or get out of the house, but it happens often.  It is unpredictable and, as they say, “better to be safe than sorry.”  If your dog ever does happen to get out, we want to be able to reunite you with your dog.  If you put the tag on your dog’s collar, we are able to check our database, call you, and return your dog home quickly.  If the dog has no license, we then have to board the dog.  In order to retrieve your dog, you then have to come to the Town and pay additional fees.  Therefore, not only does the tag save you the money it costs to retrieve your lost pet, but it also enables you to be reunited faster.

Another great reason to have the license tag on your dog at all times, is for the parks.  Henrietta opened a dog park in the summer of 2014 that is a part of the Monroe County dog park system.  While you do have to register for the park, the dog must also be licensed and legally should be wearing the license tag while you are in the park.

Long story short, having your dog wear the license at all times is safer for both your dog and for others around you.

The first time you apply for your dog’s yearly license, you will receive a permanent numbered steel tag that looks like a little fire hydrant.  This is your dog’s permanent tag while living in Henrietta and should be on the dog at all times.  Dog licenses are issued annually and are typically valid for one year from the issue date, however you may also choose to purchase a multiple year license valid for the length of the dog’s rabies vaccination (annual fees would remain the same).  When it is time to renew your dog’s license, you will be notified by mail and/or email by our office.  Upon renewal, many dog owners ask if they need a new license tag for their dog and the answer is no, you don’t.  The unique number on the steel tag originally issued is your dog’s permanent identification number.  If the originally issued dog tag gets lost or broken, we can issue you a new tag for $3.00.

Per Henrietta Town Code §295-42(C), residents are not allowed more than three (3) dogs, unless they receive a Special Permit from the Henrietta Town Board.  To apply for a Special Permit, contact the Building & Fire Prevention Department at 585-359-7060 or email building [at] henrietta.org (building[at]henrietta[dot]org).

The state surcharge fee included in your annual dog license goes directly to the Department of Agriculture and Markets and is transferred to the ASPCA who then gives out 100% of the money in grants for spay and neuter programs.

New York State adopted the first dog license law on March 8, 1894 in New York City.

In reviewing early assessment records in the Town of Henrietta, the earliest record of an annual dog tax is in 1864, the cost of which was $0.50. In 1895 a resolution was adopted increasing the the "dog tax" to $1.00 because "the tax on dogs is not sufficient to pay the damages done by dogs."

Effective January 1, 2011, New York State changed the process for licensing dogs. Whereas previously, the dog licensing process was handled by New York State, it was changed to make each local municipality responsible for dog licensing. 

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