The city of Sacramento is cracking down on pet licensing for dogs and cats and the penalty is steep.
Starting on July 1, Pet owners who fail to pay the annual fee to the city will face a $300 fine.
Front Street Animal Shelter manager Gina Knapp told ABC10 that the city will begin my mailing a postcard to pet owners who need to get their licensing. If the pet owner does not respond within 30 days they will mail another notice. And if the owner still does not comply, that is when they will be slapped with the fine.
The penalty will be waived, however, if the pet owner gets a license within 30 days from then.
The cost for a pet license is $20 a year for neutered or spayed dogs and $10 a year for neutered or spayed cats, It also requires proof of rabies vaccination.
According to Knapp, 30 percent of pet owners nationwide have licensed their pets. In Sacramento, however, that number is only 12 percent.
Yolo, Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties also require dogs to be licensed but San Joaquin and Stanislaus don't require cats to have licenses. Prices vary from county to county, but all give generous discounts to spayed and neutered pets.
