SPEARFISH, SD – The 2023 City pet tags are in, and Spearfish Police Department is offering free pet tags through the month of January 2023 to encourage pet owners to get their pets licenses for the new year.
“We received positive feedback earlier this year when we extended what had been free pet tag week to a full month, so we hope pet owners will continue to take advantage of this opportunity
,” Spearfish Police Chief Curt Jacobs said.
By City ordinance, all pets residing within City limits are required to have a pet tag. Residents registering their pets need to provide owner contact information, basic information about the animal (the pet’s breed, description, and name), and proof of rabies vaccination. Contact your pet’s veterinarian to make sure your pet is up to date on its vaccinations and to obtain a copy of this information to bring with you when registering the pet. Proof of current rabies vaccination is a requirement.
Animal Control Officer Scott Beal explained how a pet tag helps with the animal’s safety, as well as an owner’s peace of mind, as it allows faster identification of the animal and owner if the pet is ever separated from its home/owner(s).
“These pet tags help us get pets back to their families more quickly,
” he said, describing how unexpected situations may occur, resulting in even the most well-behaved animals having an unsupervised adventure. “Indoor cats can leave through an open door; dogs may jump a fence and range much farther than you expect – a pet tag certainly assists in finding the owner in those unanticipated events.
”
All pets (even indoor) are required under City Code to have pet tags, and the tags should be affixed to an animal’s collar.
Generally, tags are $5 for pets that are spayed or neutered and $10 for those that are not, and those fees are waived during free pet tag month, January 2023.
Pet tags are available at the Spearfish Police Department, located at 225 W. Illinois St., from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the lobby. After 4 p.m., tags may be obtained from the dispatch window in the lobby.
For more information about pet tags, contact Animal Control at 642-1300.
Animal Control Officer Beal reminded pet owners to check their pets’ paws after they are out in the snow, to clean the snow from their toes, and to keep dogs on leashes when out walking, unless they are in designated off-leash areas, for everyone’s safety during the winter.
He added pet owners living outside of City limits may obtain a City pet tag if they desire, though it is not required, and he encouraged all pet owners, regardless of where they live, to have some type of identifying information on their pet’s collar so that the owner may be contacted in case their pet gets lost.
Photo caption: Scooby the station dog models his 2023 City pet tag and encourages all pet owners to pick up a free tag for their pet(s) through the month of January! Photo courtesy Spearfish Police Department