Did you know that, according to Maine.gov, "All dogs need to be licensed upon reaching the age of 6 months in the town where it resides? Or after the dog has been with the family for 10 days, if adopted?"

In case you've been putting it off, or maybe you were unaware that it was even something you needed to do, you now have a little bit of extra time to make sure your pup is up to par with it's licensing obligations!

Animal Control Officers across the state are letting folks know that the deadline to register your dog at your City or Town Hall has been extended in the state of Maine, to June 2.

Why register your dog?

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Well, not only does it provide your city or town with the assurance that your dog is up to date on it's rabies prevention, it also helps pay for some very important animal services across the state. According to the Maine.gov website, when you register your dog, the money goes to pay for things like:

  • 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

If you've never registered your dog before, it's a pretty simple process. And you have couple of options available.

You can go, in person, to your City or Town Hall's Clerk's office, and register right there.

You can mail in your information to the same place, if you'd rather not appear in person.

Or there's even a website you can do it through now through the Maine.gov website--but that option will be expiring on June 2, as well.

Here's a list of info you'll want to make sure to have on hand when you register:

  • Your dog's current rabies certificate
  • Your vet's name and number
  • Record of your dog's spay or neuter
  • A description of your dog
  • And finally, money to pay the registration fees.

In Bangor, for instance, the fees are as follows: $6 per dog if spayed/neutered, $11 per dog if not spayed/neutered.

If you're late to register your pet, the cost goes up tp " $25 per dog extra fee for registering past the deadline."

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To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

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