City Clerk Mendoza’s Dog of Distinction Campaign Helps Double Registration Numbers in First Quarter.

Chicago dog owners are trying to avoid the bite of a fine up to $200 for not registering their dog with the city. With only a week left in City Clerk Susana Mendoza’s first-ever dog registration promotion, the office has seen registration numbers double.

Since the launch of the promotion in January, Chicagoans have registered 9,110 dogs with the city. At the same time last year, 4,543 dogs had been newly registered with the city. In addition, dog registration revenue is up 118 percent compared to the same time last year, with $91,419 brought in through March 19. The City has a total of 38,017 dogs currently registered.

“We knew that many dog owners were simply not aware of the city’s mandatory registration requirement. That is why we worked with civic leader Kathy Posner and the City Clerk Dog Task Force to create the Dog of Distinction promotion – to bring attention to this and other dog laws, like the need to leash your dog in public,” said Clerk Mendoza. “Clearly the campaign has helped us get the word out about the need to register your dog with the city and the public health benefits of doing so. Chicagoans will see an increase in enforcement of the dog registration law this summer and we are giving them ample time to comply before then.”

Campaign Details and Prizes

All dogs registered with the City Clerk’s Office through March 31, 2012 are automatically entered into the Dog of Distinction campaign. In April, five dogs and their owners will be chosen at random to compete for Chicago’s first-ever Dog of Distinction. Finalists will submit photos and short bios of their dogs. The public will then vote online at chicityclerk.com in late April for the dog they think best exemplifies Chicago’s spirit and is worthy of the Dog of Distinction title.

Finalists receive prize packages donated by Chicago’s pet-loving businesses. Chicago’s Dog of Distinction receives a custom-designed dog tag with real rubies and topazes created by Sherry Bender of famed The Goldsmith Ltd., an appearance in a ‘WCIU, the U’ TV ad, a weekend stay at the Palmer House Hilton, a photo shoot at Urban Out Sitters, and a feature story in Chicagoland Tails magazine.

All finalists receive two tickets on a Shoreline Cruise dog-friendly architectural cruise, a reservation to the exclusive Palmer House Hilton Dog Tea Party, an Urban Out Sitter gift bag filled with the latest in dog treats and accessories and a Chicagoland Tails gift package created just for Chicago’s prize-winning dogs.

Benefits of Dog Registration

City dog registration helps reunite owners with their pet should the dog stray away from home. According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy, less than 20 percent of dogs who go missing are returned to their owners. Most dogs reunited with their owners were identified with tags or other identifying features, reinforcing the advantage for owners who register their dogs.

Dog registration also benefits the public health. All dogs registered with the city must have a current rabies vaccination. Additionally, in offering discounts to those with spayed or neutered dogs, pet registration offers an additional incentive to do so and ultimately helps control the pet population.

Chicago’s dog registration tag is a simple sticker that adheres to the back of the rabies vaccination tag. The sticker contains the unique dog registration number as well as the phone number for the City Clerk’s missing dog and registration hotline, 312-744-DOGS (3647).

Dog Registration Costs and Fines

Dog registration is $5 for neutered or spayed dogs or $2.50 for sterilized dogs with a Chicago owner over age 65. Unsterilized dogs are $50 to register or $5 if the owner is age 65 or older. City dog registrations are available in 1 or 3 year increments, with the expiration date coinciding with the rabies expiration.

Fines for not registering a dog range from $30 to $200. Dog registration can be purchased online at chicityclerk.com or an application can be mailed to the owner by calling 312-744-DOGS (3647). Registration is also available at any City Clerk’s office location, 121 N. LaSalle in Room 107, 5674 S. Archer Ave. or 5430 W. Gale St.