The Southwest Voice

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I noticed in a recent news story that the city of Bakersfield has begun its canvassing program to check for unlicensed dogs living in Bakersfield. The six-week program has a team of officers going to various neighborhoods throughout Bakersfield to educate people about license laws, leave information beneficial to local dog owners and, in some cases, give owners of unlicensed dogs notices to comply with licensing laws.

Not that this should surprise anyone, but I love the fact that this program is taking place. Finally something is actually being done to help create a positive change in the lives of homeless animals in Bakersfield (alas, not the county, as this is a city program). Plus, there’s nothing like a visit from the friendly folks at Bakersfield Animal Control to give people a gentle reminder that along with all the perks of pet ownership, there are some responsibilities.

Maybe as people realize that animal control officers may actually come to their door and look at their pets, they will finally get serious about making sure their dogs are licensed. Licensing fees can be used to assist in paying for many of the programs pet owners have said are desperately needed in Bakersfield: low-cost spay/neuter, better staffing at the Mt. Vernon facility and longer operating hours for adoption and surrender.

Will a simple license fee be the cure-all for what ails Bakersfield in the pet-overpopulation department? Hardly. But if we can manage to get 10,000 more dogs a year licensed, even at the “cheapie” altered rate of $15, it will add $150,000 per year to the budget of a department that gets less love than a wool sweater on an August afternoon.

Want to get ahead of the curve and show those officers that you’re someone who doesn’t have to wait to be told what to do? Get your dog licensed before the officers come to your door.

Dog licensing requires that your pet be vaccinated against rabies. If your dog is current on their rabies vaccination, call your veterinarian and ask for a copy of your dog’s rabies certificate. Enclose that certificate with your license application form (visit: www.co.kern.ca.us/ac and search “animal license application form”) and the appropriate payment and mail it to Animal Control. It’s that easy. Should you find your pup in need of a rabies booster, Kern County Animal Control holds monthly low-cost rabies vaccination clinics. Visit: www.co.kern.ca.us/acd/rabies.asp for a complete schedule of rabies vaccination clinics.

Let’s hear it for jingling tags on licensed dogs!

— E-mail Vicky at: pawprintcitytimes@sbcglobal.net or visit www.pawprintcitytimes.com.