Perspective
Protect your beloved pets with licensing
February 24, 2022
by PEMCO Insurance
Unfortunately, few people license their family pets. The Seattle Animal Shelter estimated a few years ago that only about 27% of the city’s dogs and 14% of cats have licenses.
Most pet owners, they say, simply don’t realize it’s the law, understand the benefits or know how to do it.
How licensing helps your pets
Licensing gives your pets important protection if they’re ever found wandering on the street. Here’s how:
- Licensed pets can avoid the shelter. Rescue organizations and animal welfare officers often can return tagged, licensed pets directly to their owners. That means your dog or cat won’t have to go through the sometimes traumatizing shelter process.
- Shelters don’t immediately put up tagged pets for adoption. That buys you more time to reunite with your pet in case shelter officials can’t reach you right away.
- Microchipping isn’t a substitute for licensing. A chipped but unlicensed pet likely will still be processed at a shelter before its chip is read. Also, chips can sometimes be missed.
- Pets get lost more often than you think. About 10% of dogs and cats wind up in shelters, sometimes after being startled, darting out the door and becoming too disoriented to find their way back home.
- Licensing supports animals in need. Fees help pay for shelter and emergency medical services for abandoned animals.
How to license
Visit your city’s or county’s website to find out if licensing is available where you live. Your veterinarian can advise you, too, especially if your city or county requires vaccinations before licensing your pet.
You often can license your pet online, and you’ll receive your pets’ license tags in the mail. Here are links to some licensing sites in the Northwest:
Washington
Seattle
King County
Pierce County
Snohomish County
Spokane County
Oregon
Multnomah County
Washington County
Lane County
Licensing costs vary (usually higher for dogs than cats, and lower for pets that are spayed or neutered), and many cities and counties offer discounts to elderly and low-income residents. Most licenses renew annually, although you may be able to buy a multiyear license.
Another important way to protect your pets
You can keep your pets happy and healthy with a new insurance option from PEMCO. We now offer affordable pet insurance through a partnership with Pets Best, which Forbes recently named among the top five pet insurers in the nation. PEMCO members automatically receive a 5% discount on pet insurance policies.
Learn more about PEMCO Pet Insurance and click for a quote.
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