Dog licenses due by Jan. 31 in Coshocton County

All Coshocton County dogs age 3 months and older are required to have a current dog license. To avoid late fees, the license must be purchased no later than Saturday, Jan. 31. The cost of the license is $15, and licenses can be purchased at the auditor’s office, online (with a fee of $2.25 added), All Paws on Deck Grooming, Rural King, Buehler’s, TMK New Bedford, Russell’s Hardware and Good Boy Bakery.

Hayley Sturtz, manager of the Coshocton County Animal Shelter, said displaying a current license on your pet not only helps get your pet home quicker, but also can save you money if your dog is picked up. The fee for the dog warden picking up a licensed dog is $15, but one that is not displaying a current license is $55.

“Having a current tag helps us at the shelter to identify an owner promptly, should the dog be found as a stray or roaming," Sturtz said. "It can save the dog a trip to the shelter entirely. When a finder reports the dog, (shelter volunteers, dog warden or auditor’s office) can run the license number through our system to locate the owner.”

There also is a license look-up on the auditor’s website, if you should ever find a dog with a license. You can search for the number without involving the dog warden or the shelter.

A dog license also identifies the dog’s rightful owner, should any questions of ownership arise, if the licensed dog is still living with the owner’s name on the dog license. It doesn’t matter whether the dog lives inside or out — it must have a current license.

“We at the animal shelter ask that folks please have their pets fixed, microchipped, wearing an appropriate fitting collar with the dog tag displayed," Sturtz said. "It truly makes all the difference. Dogs who are fixed roam less, cause less issues and have less behavioral problems. Dogs who are tagged/licensed to owner with the tag displayed are returned home far more quickly than those that are unidentified.”

Sturtz also wants to remind the public that if you find a dog, in the eyes of Ohio law, you are holding someone’s property. You must hold the dog for 72 hours, have it scanned for a microchip at a vet or the animal shelter, and post publicly to social media. You must always report the found dogs to the shelter at 740-622-9741 (voice mail is checked often) and the dog warden at 740-295-0026. Social media isn’t enough as postings are not seen as often as most people assume. WTNS also will announce lost and found pets.

“If someone is claiming a dog you found, always ask for gender ID, collar ID or proof of ownership. Or turn the dog into us or the warden so we can ensure proper channels for impounded strays are followed from the start. If you choose to hold the dog, that is OK, but you have a responsibility to report, report, report,” Sturtz said.

Licenses are good for one year, but three-year and permanent ones can be purchased at the auditor’s office. Dog licenses cannot be transferred to another dog. Help keep your dog safe and purchase a dog tag soon.