Dog Licenses

Arvada law now requires dogs to be licensed!

Things to know:

A dog license may be obtained through the Jefferson County Animal Control office. A complete registration form and fees must be presented at that time. Please see link below to Jefferson County Animal Control to download registration form or call them at 303-271-5070 (M-F, 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.)

• Proof of current rabies vaccination and spay/neuter must accompany this registration. In lieu of written documentation, your veterinary clinic may complete the designated area on the license registration.
• Licenses must be worn on the dogs collar at all times!
• Cats are now required to wear a current rabies tag on their collar at all times.
• Although not mandatory cats can be licensed through Jefferson County too.
• Current fees are: SPAYED/NEUTERED $15 and UNALTERED $30
• The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners will set the lisencing fees.

Benefits of countywide dog licensing:

Licensing reunites lost pets with their owners:
A dog license can be traced 24 hours a day, every day of the year by an animal management officer in any part of the county. The license information includes home and alternate phone numbers, a secondary person to contact in case of an emergency, as well as medical and dietary information on the dog.

Licensing encourages the spaying and neutering of dogs through staggered fees:
The license fee differential -- $15 for spayed and neutered dogs and $30 for unaltered dogs -- was designed to encourage people to sterilize their dogs. Animal management officers hope to reduce the number of unwanted pets through this program. Pet overpopulation is a major problem and leads to overcrowding at shelters and the euthanization of far too many pets.

Licensing helps animal management officers regulate dangerous dogs:
Licensing can protect you and your animals by allowing animal management officers to track dangerous and aggressive dogs and habitual offenders of animal laws.

Licensing encourages pet owners to vaccinate their dogs against rabies:
The rabies vaccine is a prerequisite for a dog license. Countywide licensing will reduce the risk of rabid dog bites throughout the county.

Licensing helps the Table Mountain Animal Center:
A portion of the revenues generated by dog licensing will go to Table Mountain Animal Center (TMAC)'s capital building fund to help construct a much-needed new facility.

TMAC serves as a safe haven for lost animals impounded by animal control officers and for pets relinquished by their owners. It is also the animal adoption facility within Jefferson County for the entire Rocky Mountain Region.

While TMAC receives the third largest volume of animals of all shelters in Colorado, it has one of the smallest budgets of any major animal shelter in the state.