Did You Know Maine Law Requires You to Register Your Dog & Pay a Fee Every Year?

Did you know...

The State of Maine requires all dog owners to register their dog and pay an annual fee to the state? I had no idea.

Here's how it works:

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Division of Animal & Plant Health (say that 10 times fast) requires all residents of the State of Maine to register their dogs by January 31st each year. Registration costs $7.00 for spayed/neutered animals, and $12 for "unaltered" dogs. There is also a substantial fine if you fail to register.

When you pay your Dog Tax (because that's what it is), you are given a registration tag for the animal (like a doggy license plate), so your dog can be ID'd.

According to the state government, fees collected from the dog registration program pay for:

• Local Animal Control Officers and State Humane Agents
• Investigation of animal cruelty complaints and enforcement of animal welfare laws
• Compliance with rabies vaccination of dogs
• Care for sick and injured stray animals
• Return of lost dogs to their owners

Did you know that you have to pay this fee every year? How many dog owners do you think skip this requirement?