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Animal Control Badge
For Laws on Animals in
El Dorado County:
Ordinance Code
See Title 6

PET LICENSING IS EASY AND IMPORTANT

Get your dog licensed! It's so easy and gives your pet an inexpensive insurance policy for their safety and protection. Plus, it's the law to license your dog.

IT'S THE LAW:

El Dorado County dog licenses are required by law for all dogs 4 months of age or older. Dogs entering the county have 30 days to be licensed. If the dog is licensed in another county of California, the license must be transferred to an El Dorado County license within 30 days. We will honor up to one year of the presently valid license. If your dog is unlicensed you can be cited and fined. Even indoor-only dogs confined to fenced yards get loose and their licenses help assure you can be reunited with them. You really can't afford not to license your dog. We are doing all we can to protect your dog from harm, but we can't do it alone.

A dog license identifies and protects your dog in case it becomes lost. Wearing a license is the best protection from permanent loss that money can buy!!! Be sure to have your license tag on your dog's collar at all times to ensure quick return should he or she be found while wearing this tag. If you have moved or your dog has become lost, stolen, given away or is now deceased, please contact us so your record will be updated. In Placerville, please call (530) 621-5795, or in South Lake Tahoe, please call (530) 573-7925.


9 GOOD REASONS TO LICENSE YOUR DOG:
  1. A license tells everyone that your pet is not a homeless stray.
  2. Found pets can be reunited quickly with their owner. This may prevent you and your pet from having to come to the animal shelter!! To report a found dog or cat in Placerville, please call (530) 621-5795, or in South Lake Tahoe, please call (530) 573-7925.
  3. County staff will attempt to deliver your pet home to you immediately, skipping a trip to the animal shelter.
  4. El Dorado County Animal Services will call you or send you a letter, if your pet comes to the Shelter wearing a license.
  5. Your pet license is proof that your pet has been vaccinated against rabies.
  6. It provides emergency medical care for your pet, while in the care of the County.
  7. Your dog gets a longer holding period. When found, your licensed pet will be cared for at the County Animal Shelter for a longer time.
  8. License fees support the return of over 2,000 lost dogs and cats to their homes and help adopt homeless dogs and cats to new families every year. Other services funded by pet licensing are investigation of animal neglect or cruelty, spay/neuter programs to reduce dog and cat over-population, and community education services.
  9. If your dog is licensed and becomes impounded, the fees can be $30 less than if it were unlicensed.

SAFETY TIPS FOR A WELL-DRESSED DOG OR CAT:

DOGS: Use a leather or nylon collar that buckles. Plastic snap collars can break away easily when dogs lunge or pull hard. Never put tags on a "choke chain" type collar. These collars should be used for training only and should never be left on a dog. They can strangle your dog. While collars and tags are great, they can fall off or become lost. Microchipping provides another form of identification for your dog. It is also important to make sure dogs are vaccinated against rabies. Vaccinating domestic animals from rabies helps maintain a barrier between humans and rabies.

CATS: Use a "release" type collar. These are available at most pet stores. These collars allow your cat to free itself should the collar become attached to something. While collars and tags are great, they can fall off or become lost. Microchipping provides another form of identification for your cat. It is also important to make sure cats are vaccinated against rabies. Vaccinating domestic animals from rabies helps maintain a barrier between humans and rabies.

HOW DO I LICENSE MY DOG?

PET LICENSE APPLICATION:

WHAT DO I NEED TO SUBMIT WITH MY LICENSE APPLICATION:

  • RABIES VACCINATION CERTIFICATE: Submit a copy of a valid rabies vaccination certificate that is issued and signed by a licensed veterinarian. Please note: A license can be obtained for either one or three years but cannot exceed the expiration date of the rabies vaccination. A license cannot be purchased if a rabies vaccination is due to expire in less than 6 months. If your dog's rabies shot is due to expire in less than 6 months, you will need to have your dog revaccinated prior to obtaining a license. Do not send a metal rabies tag issued by your veterinarian, as it is not proof of rabies vaccination.
  • IF YOUR DOG IS SPAYED OR NEUTERED: In order to obtain a discounted license rate, submit a copy of the spay or neuter certificate issued by your veterinarian. The certificate should state a complete description of the dog and the date of the surgery. The certificate need only be submitted once with the initial application

Click here for the license application. Fill out the application and mail or deliver to: El Dorado Animal Services, 415 Placerville Drive, Suite N, Placerville, CA 95667 or 1120 Shakori Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150.

LICENSE FEES:

Fees
El Dorado County
(Includes all unincorporated areas of the West Slope and
East Slope/Tahoe of El Dorado County and the City of Placerville)
  1 Year License 3 Year License
Unaltered Dog

$35.00

$90.00
Altered Dog

$15.00

$35.00
Late Fee

$15.00

Fees City of South Lake Tahoe Residents
(Within South Lake Tahoe City Limits only)
  1 Year License 3 Year License
Unaltered Dog

$52.50

$135.00
Altered Dog

$22.50

$52.50
Late Fee

$22.50

All Fees

HOW DO I REPLACE A LOST OR WORN DOG TAG?

FOR A REPLACEMENT TAG:

Animal Services can make a replacement dog tag for you. There is a $5 replacement fee. You can either come in to our office and we can make it then, or you can mail in a check and we will mail the new tag back to you. If you mail in the request, complete a license application and indicate that it is a replacement tag. Send the completed form and check to Animal Services, 415 Placerville Dr., Suite N, Placerville, CA,95667 or 1120 Shakori Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150.

The application is available in .pdf format.
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QUESTIONS: If you have licensing questions call us in Placerville at (530) 621-5796 or (530) 621-5795, or in South Lake Tahoe at (530) 573-7925.

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