Schuylkill County Treasurer Linda Marchalk reminds all Schuylkill County dog owners that 2020 dog licenses sales started Dec 2, 2019, and warns dog owners looking to purchase new or renewal licenses of a fraudulent website selling dog licenses online.
State law requires that all dogs three months or older be licensed by January 1, 2020. Dog licenses run from January to December not from date purchased. An annual license is $8.50 and a lifetime license is $51.50. If the dog is spayed or neutered, the annual fee is $6.50 while a lifetime license is $31.50. Discounts are available for senior citizens and people with disabilities. Failure to license a dog is a summary offense and a maximum fine of $300 for each unlicensed dog may be issued. Additionally, all dogs (three months of age and older) must be vaccinated against rabies. Booster vaccinations must be administered periodically to maintain lifelong immunity.
Marchalk said, “You can get a dog license very easily either by applying online, walking into my office or a local dog agent. You can also just mail your application and check to my office.” A list of 2020 Schuylkill County Dog Agents and a downloadable application is available online at: www.co.schuylkill.pa.us/Offices/Treasurer/Treasurer.asp
If you purchase your license online, please type in this website PADogLicense.com and confirm you are not being re-directed to another website. The PA Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement has identified www.padoglicense.online as selling fake PA dog licenses and even paying search engines to appear at the top of search results pages for common terms, like “Pennsylvania dog license” or “renew PA dog license”.
Schuylkill County residents looking to buy a new or renewal dog license should use caution and follow these steps to ensure they’re making an official purchase:
· Skip the search engine to avoid being targeted by fraudulent entities
· When in doubt, call 570-628-1433 for more information.
If you have a concern about a third-party website, contact the PA Attorney General Bureau of Consumer Protection at 1-800-441-2555.