Owners of Unlicensed Dogs Could Save Hundreds During Local Animal Service Amnesty

If you don’t have a license for your dog, April 1 is a good time to think about getting one.

Next month Mission Viejo’s Animal Services Department will hold a Dog License Amnesty Program.

Throughout April, officials will waive all late penalty fees for dog owners who have not licensed their dog or who have failed to renew the license.

Pet owners who register or renew an annual license during the amnesty period will have to pay the regular $20 fee for a spayed/neutered dog license or $50 for an unsprayed—also called unaltered—dog license.

Owners won’t, however, have to pay the late fees for the unlicensed animal.

In addition to urging locals to vaccinate their furry friends against rabies, Gail DeYoung, animal services manager for the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center, said that late license penalty fees can really add up.

The penalty is five dollars for every month the dog is unlicensed plus back license fees, according to DeYoung.

So, without the amnesty program, if a resident owned an unlicensed, unspayed dog for five years, the resident would owe $550—$5 a month for sixty months plus five payments of $50.

And that’s not including the current citation fee that city Animal Services Employees can issue if they see an unlicensed dog—in Mission Viejo, the citation is $20 on first issuance, $35 on second issuance and $100 on third issuance.  

All dogs over four months old in Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel and Aliso Viejo are required to have and wear a current license tag according to Mission Viejo's website.

Cat licenses are recommended, but not required by law.

City staff are strongly encouraging residents to license to avoid future late penalties and citations, according to a release.

If an owner wants to apply for the reduced-rate altered dog license, a copy of the pet’s sterility certificate is also required. 

Discounts are available for senior citizens 55 years and older. 

To purchase or renew a license, the owner needs to show a current rabies vaccination certificate. 

The will host a rabies vaccination clinic from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13. Rabies vaccinations are $6.

For a license renewal that will be due again within the next six months, officials are required two years' payment.

Residents can purchase or renew licenses by mail or in person at Mission Viejo Animal Services Center at 28095 Hillcrest. 

They can also pay by phone by calling 949-470-3045 Tuesday through Saturday.

For more information, call 949-470-3045.