Tri-Cities dog licence fees discounted until end of January

Municipalities encourage owners to buy or renew their dog tags to reduce theft or if their furry friend goes missing.

Tri-City communities issue their annual reminders to dog owners to purchase or renew their license for 2023.

And if you do so before February 1st, residents can save some bacon – and leave it to the dogs.

Valid dog licenses in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody officially expired on December 31, 2022, and each community is offering reduced rates to owners with new or current pooches.

The marks and registration files are intended to help cities maintain a database and make it easier to reunite stolen or lost dogs with their owners in the event of an incident.

Aaron Hilgerdenaar, chief of Coquitlam’s bylaws and animal services, said a portion of fees from the city’s program also help fund the Coquitlam Animal Shelter, which cares for abandoned, stray or injured animals.

He said as in any community, owners found with unlicensed dogs could be issued fines for bylaw violations.

In Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, dogs six months old and older are required to be licensed and registered within their systems. Port Moody requires puppies to be tagged at four months of age.

The royalties in each Tri-Cities community are as follows. Proof of neutering is required to qualify for a discount:

Coquitlam $30 = per pet neutered or neutered through February 1 $47 = per pet neutered or neutered after February 1 $60 = per pet not spayed or neutered through February 1 $77 = per pet not spayed or neutered then February 1st

Visit the City of Coquitlam website for more information and payment options.

Port Coquitlam $32 = per pet spayed or neutered through February 1st $47 = per pet spayed or neutered after February 1st $80 = per pet not spayed or neutered through February 1st $95 = per pet not spayed or neutered Pet after February 1st

First-time applicants will receive a new dog tag, while renewals can keep the tags, as the city says they are “valid for several more years.”

Port Coquitlam licenses are free for vision or hearing aid dogs (proof required) and for new residents exchanging a valid license from another jurisdiction.

For more information and payment options, visit the Dog Licenses page on the City of Port Coquitlam website.

Port Moody $20 = per pet spayed or neutered under 1 year old Applies to first-time owners only $30 = per pet spayed or neutered Applies to residents 65 years and older $46 = per pet spayed or neutered through February 1 $52 = per pet neutered or neutered pet after February 1st $74 = per non-neutered or non-neutered pet until February 1st $80 = per non-neutered pet or non-neutered pet after February 1st $268 = aggressive dogs $560 = vicious dogs $17 = lost brand replacement

Residents must sign up through the myPortMoody online portal to receive a renewal reminder, as the City of the Arts has said it is committed to going paperless with the program.

More information is available on the city’s website.