By Max Reinhart, mreinhart@detroitnews.com
Licensed dog owners in Oakland County now have an added layer of security in case their pet wanders away from home, officials announced Monday.
The county has partnered with DocuPet, a pet registration and lost-pet recovery service that links owners, municipalities and shelters across the country to coordinate and expedite reunions between owners and their lost pets.
“Dog licensing is not only a legal requirement, it’s also an effective way to protect pets,” said Bob Gatt, manager of Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center, in a press release. “This new partnership makes licensing more convenient for residents while giving pet owners added peace of mind knowing their dog has 24/7 protection if it ever goes missing.”
DocuPet says its National Pet Registry and National Animal Shelter Network connect hundreds of shelters and thousands of agencies across the country to a centralized database filled with users’ pet information, including licensing, microchip IDs, contact information and veterinary data.
Oakland County has never utilized such a network, said Joanie Toole, the chief of the Oakland County Animal Control & Pet Adoption Center.
“Pets wearing license tags are reunited with their families much faster than unlicensed pets,” Grant Goodwin, CEO of DocuPet, said in the release. “We’re proud to work with Oakland County to bring these benefits to the community.”
The organization says more than 4 million pets have been registered for its services since DocuPet launched in 2012, facilitating more than 20,000 lost pet reunifications.
County officials said the DocuPet registration system is also more user-friendly than the previous licensing system. The streamlined process is expected to help staff at the shelter focus more time and energy on animal care, shelter operations and community programs.
Pet owners who lack internet access or who wish to register in person or by mail may still do so, officials said.
The cost of a license will not change under the new partnership. Owners can still choose from either a one- or three-year license for their pet. One-year licenses generally cost $15 for animals that have been spayed or neutered or $25 for pets that have not been fixed. Three-year licenses are generally $40 or $70, respectively.
Under the new program, owners can get a license for their pet any time of year and the license is good for one or three years from the date of purchase. Under the previous program, all licenses expired in December and owners who purchased a license in June or later were subject to additional fees.
All dogs in Oakland County are required to be licensed and vaccinated against rabies. Officials noted that while cats are not required to be licensed, cat owners may register their pets for free through DocuPet to receive a complimentary ID tag and access to lost-pet recovery services.