In countries such as Scotland, England and Wales, dog licenses were abolished in 1987, due to the regulations being widely ignored. However, some countries do still require resident dog owners to obtain an annual dog license, including Portugal, Australia, Northern Ireland and some of the states in the US. As dog licensing isn’t a federal law in America, not all states and jurisdictions require a dog license. Actually, some parts of Maryland and California require a cat license! So always check with the country’s embassy to ensure you adhere to the laws of pet ownership.
Dog Licenses in Portugal
Here in Portugal, dog licenses are a requirement. The process of obtaining one is relatively simple. You take your pets vaccination record to the local Junta de Freguesia and pay a fee of around €7 to obtain the license. It’s a necessity to have evidence that your dog is vaccinated against rabies and microchipped. Since you will no doubt have travelled with your dog using a pet passport, this document provides sufficient evidence of the rabies and microchip requirements.
Once you have obtained a dog license in Portugal, it must be renewed annually.
Other countries which require you to obtain a dog license if you are a resident are:
- Northern Ireland
- Australia
- Some of the US states
Dog & Cat Licenses in Australia
Your dog or cat must be registered with the local government, for instance on the New South Wales Pet Registry (NSW Pet Registry) by the time they’re 6 months old. Registration is done once and is valid for the lifetime of the pet. If a dog or cat changes owners, there is no need to register the pet again or pay an additional registration fee.
The amount you pay, and the age you’re pet must be registered by depend on each local government in Australia.
Pet Numbers Per Household
In addition to pet license requirements, your chosen country may set a limit on the number of pets permitted per household. For example, in Portugal if you reside in an apartment, you are allowed to have 3 dogs, or 4 cats, never exceeding 4 pets in total.
All cats and dogs in Portugal must also wear a collar tag inscribed with your name, together with your address or phone number.
So there are often additional requirements for pet ownership in different countries. It’s really important to communicate with your local embassy to ensure you adhere to local laws.
