Love your dog, license your dog

Strathcona County dog owners are reminded to renew their dog’s licence by March 31, 2017.

All dogs residing in Strathcona County are required to have a valid licence; dog licences are valid for one year (April 1 – March 31). Licences purchased in the middle of the licensed year still expire on March 31.

Dog licence renewal reminder notices will be mailed in early March to the registered owners of 12,500 licensed dogs in Strathcona County.

Dog licensing is an important component of the County’s free “return to owner” program. A current dog licence allows Enforcement Services officers to contact the owner to return a lost dog, and owners will not be charged $175 dog-at-large fine. A free return is offered to each dog once per licence year.

If owners no longer have a dog that was previously licensed, please notify Enforcement Services of the change. As a reminder, owners of a new dog need to obtain a license within 15 days of ownership. Each owner of a spayed or neutered dog receives the first licence year free of charge.

As a reminder, Strathcona County is currently reviewing its Dog Control Bylaw. Input received from the public will be used as the basis of a final report, scheduled for Council presentation in spring, 2017. Changes to the current bylaw, if any, will not be in effect until 2018.

Further information about dog licensing is available online, via email at dogrenewals@strathcona.ca or by calling 780-449-0170.

Set in the centre of Alberta’s energy and agricultural heartland, Strathcona County is a thriving, successful and vibrant community of over 98,000 residents. Strathcona County is made up of the urban area of Sherwood Park and a large adjacent rural area of farms, acreages and smaller hamlets. It is home to 75 per cent of refining in Western Canada. With a focus on economic, governance, social, cultural and environmental sustainability, Strathcona County is committed to balancing the unique needs of its diverse community.

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Contact: Strathcona County Communications, 780-410-6595