As a pet owner, you spend plenty of time making sure your dog or cat is healthy and safe. You walk her daily, feed him nutritious food, and take her to the vet when something seems “off.” You even get him vaccinated to ensure protection from rabies.

Many pet owners forget something else—licensing their pets. A pet license is a way to make sure your pet is protected if they get lost.  As our community grows, lost dogs and cats are frequently seen strolling around, wondering where their home is. Sometimes they spend hours or even days apart from their worried owners. If you’ve been putting off licensing your pet, let me remind you why you should license your pet.

Prevent Rabies
A pet license requires proof your pet has been vaccinated against rabies. Keeping your pet up to date on all vaccinations is incredibly important as a responsible pet owner. Not only does this keep them safe, but, in the unfortunate event they get lost, animal control or anyone else who comes upon your missing pooch or kitty will know they are safe to approach.

Identify Your Pet
Don’t think, “my pet will never get out.” if that were true, there would be no lost animals. And believe me, lost animals are a daily occurrence in Derby. Derby Police Officers and our Animal Control Officers deal with them every day.

A license tag provides identification. If someone finds your pet, she can be traced back to you, which will help her get home safe and sound quickly. Proper identification means a faster return to your family.

Derby City Code requires residents who own dogs or cats to have them licensed by the City. The City has issued license tags to local veterinarians so they can hand them out to pet owners with the purchase of a license. These City tags are to be attached to the pet’s collar. The tag has both the rabies vaccination information as well as the pet owner information.

You can purchase the license for $10 ($15 for pets not spayed/neutered) and receive a tag for your pet on your next visit to the vet. Licensing and tags are available at your veterinarian’s office as well as City Hall. Please contact Jenny Schafer at 316-788-1519 or come to City Hall during business hours to get one.

Lt. Kevin Jones
Derby Police Department

Published in the Derby Informer on March 7, 2018.