A reminder to Okotoks dog owners that license fees are due at the end of this month.

The $25.00 fee for a spayed or neutered dog hasn't changed since 2008.

Town of Okotoks Municipal Enforcement Manager Kelly Stienwand says town tags can be a helpful tool for dog owners who have lost their pets.

"Our peace officers deal with approximately 200 calls for service alone, just on the issue of lost or missing dogs, dogs running at large, annually," he explains. "So when we find a dog it helps us reunite them with their owner and that becomes a very valuable tool when it's needed."

Licensing fees support an agreement with Room to Run Boarding Kennels and Heaven Can Wait Animal Rescue Foundation to board lost dogs as well as to provide and maintain the supply of dog waste bags in parks around town.

Stienwand adds that although there are penalties in place for having an unlicensed dog in Okotoks, that's not their primary focus.

"The penalty for an unlicensed animal in Okotoks is $250.00," Stienwand says. "We work hard to try not to issue fines, that's not what it's about. We are really working hard and proactively to try to work with pet owners in our community to ensure that they're licensing their dogs to comply with the program, keep it consistent across the board."

In 2017, there were 4,461 invoices issued for dog license renewals in Okotoks. Dog license fees can be renewed at the Municipal Centre during regular business hours, by mail or online.

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