CHAMBERSBURG – Franklin County Treasurer Lisa Helm is reminding residents that Pennsylvania law requires all dogs to be licensed at the time of purchase or adoption or at the age of 3 months, whichever comes first, and that all dogs must be licensed by Jan. 1 each year.
An annual dog license expires each Dec. 31, regardless of the month it was purchased. New licenses for the following year are available each Dec. 1 and should be purchased by Jan. 1. A lifetime license is good for the life of the dog. Dog owners can purchase either type of license through their county’s treasurer’s office; annual licenses are also available online at www.padoglicense.com.
Not only are licenses a legal responsibility of owning a dog in Pennsylvania, but a clearly visible license on a dog’s collar may mean the difference between a pet being returned home quickly and ending up in a shelter. Even with a microchip, a dog without a license can be sent to a shelter or lost to its owners forever. In 2024, only 3% of stray dogs across the commonwealth could be immediately returned to their owners, and 23% were taken to shelters in other counties due to lack of shelter space in the county in which they were found.
“I love getting a phone call that reunites a dog with its owner,” said Helm. “All it takes is a dog license.”
Money from license sales also helps support state dog wardens’ efforts to protect the millions of dogs throughout Pennsylvania, the families that adopt or purchase them, and the communities in which they live. That work includes enforcing licensing and rabies laws, investigating dog bites, inspecting kennels and prosecuting dog law violations in court., among other responsibilities.
Dog wardens across the state will begin license enforcement efforts in March. If caught, owners who fail to license their dogs can face fines of up to $500, plus court costs, for each unlicensed dog.
For more information on dog licenses and regulations, contact the Franklin County Treasurer’s Office at 717-261-3120 or [email protected], or visit www.franklincountypa.gov/departments/treasurer. To purchase an annual license online or to learn about lifetime licenses, visit www.licenseyourdogPA.com or contact the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement at 717-787-3062.
