How Can A Dog License Help Me Find My Lost Pet?

The biggest heartbreak a pet owner can feel is losing their pet. It can happen in a moments’ notice- you let your dog in the yard without a leash, someone leaves a door propped open, or you glance away for one second; and just like that, your pet is gone. It’s one of the scariest feelings, mostly because you don’t know where to go or what to do. I’d like to stress the best action a pet owner can take to be proactive and potentially avoid the frustration and devastation a lost pet can bring.

The most responsible thing a pet owner can do is to invest in a dog license. In Oakland County, you are required by law to license your dog (and can purchase this license at many local veterinarians’ offices, city halls, or the Oakland Pet Adoption Center). The license is affordable ($7.50 for altered, $15 for unaltered dogs in Oakland County, senior discount available) and is worth the investment in your pet’s wellbeing. Each license expires at the end of the calendar year, but Oakland County does offer 3 year licenses. You will be required to show the proof of a rabies vaccine in order to purchase your license (a 3 year vaccine is required for 3 year licenses): this requirement is to ensure the safety of your pet. By far, the biggest benefit of the dog license is to be able to identify the owner when a lost pet turns up in a shelter.

When an animal arrives at the Oakland Pet Adoption Center, it is immediately scanned for a microchip. If it does not have a chip, the animal is inspected for a license or ID tag. The owner registered to the license is immediately contacted at that point, to come and retrieve their pet. I often hear from many frustrated pet owners who do not understand why we cannot identify if their unlicensed pet is currently in our shelter over the phone or online. Being a County shelter that takes in approximately 10,000 animals a year, we simply are bombarded with animals on a daily basis, making the task of identifying unlicensed pets impossible. An additional problem with attempting to get an unlicensed pet identified by telephone or internet is that breeds, colors, and genders can be mistakenly assumed. It may seem like an inconvenience to have to visit multiple shelters, but it’s a small price to pay when you do find your pet, wouldn’t you agree?  

According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), only 15 to 20 percent of dogs are returned to their owners. These animals are almost always identified with tags or microchips. Losing a pet can stack the odds against you, but licensing is immensely helpful towards identifying and returning a lost pet to its owner. Everyone can help this number climb by licensing their pet and making routine visits to shelters if they do lose a pet.

Lastly, a word of advice: be wary of online postings for missing pets. These can be an additional resource, but the ultimate best way to ensure that your pet is at a shelter is to make a physical visit. Photos can be distorted with inaccurate information, and should not be your primary means to search for a pet. It can be a useful supplement towards your efforts of visiting local shelters, but going through all the proper search channels will yield a better result of locating your lost pet. Making a $7.50-$15 investment today can ensure your pet’s safety in even the worst of situations- that alone is priceless.

For more information about Oakland County dog licenses, click here.