Monday - Friday
8:00 - 4:30

908.369.4313

379 South Branch Road
Hillsborough, NJ 08844
908.369.4313

379 South Branch Road
Hillsborough, NJ 08844
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Apply for a Dog License

WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF INSTITUTING A NEW SYSTEM FOR DOG LICENSING.  ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN IN THE END OF JANUARY OR EARLY FEBRUARY. YOU WILL RECEIVE A LETTER WITH RENEWAL INSTRUCTIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE WORK TO IMPROVE OUR PROCESS.
 
Please be a Responsible Dog Owner-License Your Dog
In New Jersey, dogs must be licensed annually once they reach 7 months of age. It is very important to license your dog for several reasons. First, the licensing renewal every year reminds dog owners to make sure their pets have up to date rabies vaccinations. This is very important since New Jersey now has the rabies virus present in wild mammals. Any contact between a dog and wild mammals and this includes bats, could put your dog at risk of coming down with rabies. Rabies is fatal and can be passed on to humans.  

The annual dog license is required according to NJ law, as well as Hillsborough Township Ordinance.

Besides the legal requirement of annual dog licensing, there are other reasons to license your dog:

  1. Licensing reminds you to update your dog’s rabies vaccination. Rabies is deadly. This is very important because if your dog is exposed to any rabid or possibly rabid animal, and vaccinations are not current, there may be very serious consequences such as euthanasia, long-term strict quarantines or long-term observations for signs of rabies, depending on the situation. The risk is then passed to humans when pets can get rabies.
  2. Lost dogs may get a free ride home from animal control or a concerned neighbor when there is a license tag on your dog.
  3. Lost licensed dogs may be approached by a concerned citizen if they know that you are a responsible dog owner. A current license shows your concern and the fact that the rabies vaccination is current.
  4. If your dog should be involved in a bite to a human, or a fight with another pet, the license information can be readily given to the victim to reassure them immediately that your dog has had a current rabies vaccination. This information can also be readily provided to the police if they should be called to the scene.
  5. All of the money collected from licensing goes to spay neuter clinics, rescue shelters, and local animal control. 
Remember that according to NJ Department of Health regulations, in order to get a license, your dog must have a Current Rabies Vaccination that lasts through at least 10 months of the licensing year. So  your dog’s rabies vaccine must be current until October 31st of the current year, or your dog will need a booster rabies vaccination. A booster given a little earlier than necessary will not hurt your dog- please check with your vet if you have any questions.
 

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