Maricopa County Enhances Pet Licensing with New Agreement
In a significant move to boost pet licensing compliance and reduce pet homelessness, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has sanctioned a fresh licensing pact between Maricopa County Animal Care & Control (MCACC) and the Arizona Humane Society (AHS). This collaboration aims to tap into AHS’s extensive outreach to dog owners who might not typically engage with county licensing services.
Chair Kate Brophy McGee of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, District 3, emphasized the initiative’s impact by stating, “From microchipping dogs to offering free pet tags, Maricopa County Animal Care & Control works hard to help reduce pet homelessness. We are proud to partner with the Arizona Humane Society to double down on this great work and help keep even more of our furry friends in their homes.”
Highlighting the importance of pet identification, Debbie McKnight, Director of Maricopa County Animal Care & Control, noted, “Far too often we see dogs coming in with collars, but no ID attached to them. Ensuring that more dogs in our community are properly ID’d will help not only our shelter, but also our colleagues at the Arizona Humane Society. Dogs wearing a license are much more likely to be returned to their owner before they even need to come to the shelter.”
Under the new agreement, AHS, which administers over 30,000 rabies vaccines annually, will now be authorized to sell first-time licenses on behalf of MCACC during their rabies vaccination clinics. For each license sold, AHS will retain $10. This joint effort aims to enhance compliance with dog licensing laws and encourage the use of identification tags.
Dr. Melissa Thompson, Vice President of Animal Welfare and Medical Services at the Arizona Humane Society, expressed her enthusiasm about the partnership, saying, “Our partnership with Maricopa County Animal Care & Control makes it easier than ever for dog owners to license their pets right at the time of vaccination. By increasing licensing compliance across our community, we are supporting faster reunifications when pets go missing and helping keep dogs out of shelters when incidents occur. We are proud to work alongside MCACC toward a more connected, protected community for pets and the people who love them.”
In Maricopa County, all dogs aged three months and older are required to be licensed. Dog owners can acquire licenses through MCACC’s licensing partner, DocuPet. Each DocuPet tag comes with the HomeSafe® 24/7 Lost Pet Service and serves as the pet’s official license. These tags are linked to a secure online pet profile via a unique code, which facilitates the submission of a Found Pet Report if a pet is discovered. Owners can also report a lost pet as soon as they notice their absence. Moreover, DocuPet’s dedicated dispatch team is available around the clock to help reunite lost pets with their families.
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