Auditor says annual license is your dog’s ticket home
Tammy Jolley, left, dog tag clerk; Jackie McKee, Holmes County auditor; and Jonathan Beam, Holmes County dog warden, gave adoptable dog Daisy Mae a sneak peek at the dog tags for 2019. Daisy Mae is looking for someone to adopt her and purchase her 2019 dog license.
Holmes County Auditor Jackie McKee said a license is a lost dog’s ticket home.
The annual dog registration, required by the State of Ohio, begins Dec. 1 and runs through the end of January. It’s a service designed to benefit the animal, its owner and the community.
The license tag has an assigned identification number that identifies the owner, should the dog become lost or separated from its owner.
Ohio law, 955.01 ORC, says all dogs more than three months of age must be licensed each year no later than Jan. 31. The fee is $15 per dog. After the Jan. 31 deadline, the fee is $30 per dog. One must be 18 or older to apply for a dog license.
If you have not licensed your dog in the past, there is no penalty to license your pet for the new year. If you already license your dog, a new license form has been mailed along with a return envelope for convenience.
There are many options for purchasing 2018 dog licenses. Licenses may be purchased at the Auditor’s Office, 75 E. Clinton St., Millersburg, or at the Holmes County Dog Warden’s Department, 5387 County Road 349, Millersburg.
Both of these locations can accept debit/credit card payments.
There are many satellite locations throughout the county that also will sell 2018 licenses. Bring a license form with you when purchasing your new tag. Licenses also may be purchased by mail. Return the entire application with the proper fee, and the Auditor’s Office will mail tag(s) back to you.
Licenses may be purchased online as well. For additional information visit the dog license website at www.holmescountydoglicense.com. Multi-year dog tags are available in addition to the annual tag option. Three-year and lifetime dog tags are available for purchase at the Holmes County Auditor’s Office only.
A kennel license is available at a fee of $75 for people engaged in the business of breeding dogs for sale. A tag must be purchased for each dog in a kennel that is over the age of three months.
The kennel license will be sold with five tags; additional tags will be $1 per tag. A kennel license can only be purchased at the Auditor’s Office or at the Dog Warden’s Department. Large-volume breeders must purchase a license through the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the tags through the Auditor’s Office.
“When you consider how much pet owners invest to keep their pets healthy, happy and safe, the license fee is a small price to pay for another year’s peace of mind,” McKee said.
All license revenues go toward the operation of the Holmes County Dog Warden’s Department and Adoption Center, which is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.
The dog agents for the 2019 tag sales in Holmes County are Holmes County Auditor’s Office in Millersburg, Holmes County Dog Warden’s Department in Millersburg, Becks Mills General Store in Becks Mills, Kauffman Country Market in Holmesville, Farmerstown General Store in Farmerstown, Garver’s Service Station Inc. in Killbuck, Buckeye Deli in Nashville, Mt. Hope Hardware in Mt. Hope, Orme Hardware in Berlin, Millersburg True Value in Millersburg, Wolfcreek Veterinary Clinic and Millersburg Keim Lumber in Charm, Whitmer’s Store in Winesburg, and East Holmes Vet Clinic in Berlin.
The above agents may collect an administrative fee of 75 cents per dog in addition to the license fee.