This month, the Animal Care Services Bureau of the Department of Health and Human Services (ACS) will be working with Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control to update license records for the more than 36,000 currently licensed dogs in Long Beach through citywide door-to-door canvassing over the next six months.
“Licensing your dog is an important component of responsible pet ownership and helps protect the public’s health and promote community safety,” said Ronald R. Arias, department director. “Licensing your dog is the only way to ensure that you will be contacted if your pet becomes lost or impounded.”
Animal license inspectors will be going door-to-door to check on delinquent licenses, initiate a license for new pets or ask for proof of rabies certification. The inspectors will also be checking dogs that have never been registered with the city. Residents who have unlicensed dogs should secure a dog license to avoid citation. Licensing is done through the PD Pitchford Animal Companion Village, 7700 E. Spring St. and at longbeach.gov/acs via online application.
Dog licenses are currently $19 for 12 months for dogs that are spayed or neutered and $91 for unaltered dogs. In addition to reducing the cost of a dog license, spaying or neutering your pet helps reduce the number of unwanted animals.
State and local laws require that all dogs over the age of 4 months must receive their rabies vaccinations and be licensed. In addition, licenses are crucial tools reuniting lost pets and their owners.
“We haven’t been through a full canvassing effort in over six years,” said John Keisler, the recently hired ACS bureau manager. “This is another effort to improve ACS—promoting responsible pet ownership and helping to ensure that animals are returned to their owners.”
For more information regarding ACS or to obtain information about the license canvassing effort, call the bureau at (562) 570-7387 (PETS). More information about responsible pet ownership is available online at longbeach.gov/acs.