City Clerk Susana Mendoza’s first-ever “Dog of Distinction” promotion this spring helped increase Dog Registration by 122 percent compared to the same time last year. In May 2011, the City had nearly 17,000 active dog registrations. Currently the City Clerk’s Office has almost 38,000 active dog registrations.

Now it is time for Chicagoans to vote on which law-abiding dog they think best represents Chicago and deserves the title of Dog of Distinction! Voting opens today and runs through May 20 online at chicityclerk.com.

“When we started the Dog of Distinction promotion I knew that many people simply were not aware of the need to register their dog with the City. Our registration numbers prove that, with more than double the number of active dog registrations now versus last year,” said Clerk Mendoza. “I’m excited to now introduce our finalists and let Chicagoans choose which dog they think is most deserving of the first-ever Dog of Distinction title,” continued Clerk Mendoza.

“And while it is great to register more dogs, we will now turn our attention to working closely with Animal Care and Control in enforcing registration requirements. It’s not just a matter of owners complying with the law, it’s a matter of public health as we verify that all registered dogs also received their rabies vaccination,” said Clerk Mendoza.