A new system to regulate dog licences is coming to Erin for 2018.
On Nov. 7, Erin council approved a new canine licencing program through DocuPet starting Jan. 1.
In addition to the new system, the town will increase dog tag fees by $5.
Clerk Dina Lundy said the current process of manually entering data on a spreadsheet is labour intensive and costly at $6,900 per year.
“Not only is this program time consuming and costly, but staff had noticed that the compliance had been dropping due to a lack of convenient methods for people to buy licences,” she said.
Dog tag sales have dropped to 900 sold thus far this year, compared to 1,442 in 2014, 1,164 in 2015 and 1,112 in 2016.
In her report, Lundy stated the DocuPet solution would “modernize and streamline the town’s pet licensing program.”
The system also offers other incentives for dog owners such as:
– “smart” pet tags that are branded with the logo of the town and a unique licence number that stay with the pet until a new tag is requested;
– online profile that can include photos, caretaker and medical instructions and more;
– lost and found pet reports that include necessary information to return the dog to its owner;
– rewards programs for national and local businesses; and
– pet brigade, which are users that receive information about lost dogs to help in the search.
“This solution is a licensing program that is focused on customer service and creates efficiencies while providing their improved features for pet owners through a website which is branded through the town,” said Lundy.
She added there is no cost to implement the program. There is an administrative fee from DocuPet for each pet licence sold and pet tag shipped.
“Beyond this, the company charges a performance fee of 50 per cent on revenue above the pre-established baseline. The baseline is calculated as the average number of licences sold per year, so the town retains 100% of the revenue up to that baseline,” said Lundy.
“To be as revenue neutral as possible, I’m requesting that a $5 increase to licensing fees be done.”
The current fees, – $20 per dog before March 31 and $30 thereafter – haven’t increased since 1998.
“The most attractive elements that I saw in it is … if a dog wanders onto your property and you know it’s a lost dog, you have the ability to go to a website and find out who owns the dog, without involving the SPCA and the other things the town is paying for,” said councillor John Brennan, who added this could save the town money.
Lundy added 11 municipalities already use this program. She said dog owners have the option to sign up online, over the phone or at the municipal office. There is also an option for auto renewal.
Owners can also keep the same tag, rather than replace it each year.
“This is a really innovate, neat model; I’m glad we found out about it,” said councillor Jeff Duncan. “It does make you feel that you’re getting something back.”
Council approved the program to commence Jan. 1 and approved a $5 increase to the dog licensing fee.
