Month-long amnesty program to incentivize dog owners to ensure their dogs are licensed.

San Diego Humane Society is waiving all fees, including late fees, for dog licenses throughout the month of June 2021, during its A License to Love campaign.

Dog owners who live within San Diego Humane Society’s jurisdiction (Carlsbad, Del Mar, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido, Imperial Beach, Oceanside, Poway, San Diego, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach and Vista) can receive a free one-year license if completing the process before July 1, 2021. The promo code FREELICENSE will be required.

The amnesty offer applies to first-time licenses and renewals, and all late fees (if applicable) will be waived.

Proof of alteration (i.e. spay/neuter) is not required, but will lower the cost of a dog’s licensing fee by 50% or more. Dogs adopted at San Diego Humane Society already come with a free one-year license.

Licensing can be completed online, in person or by mail with the promo code FREELICENSE. To complete the license process, or to access information and resources such as low-cost vaccine clinics and spay/neuter services, visit sdhumane.org/license.

A California-approved rabies vaccination is a prerequisite for licensing dogs, and it’s highly effective as an animal and public health measure. Rabies vaccinations are especially important in areas like San Diego County where the potential threat of exposure to rabies from wildlife is a significant concern. The primary rabies vaccination is good for one year. The second vaccination is given one year later. Subsequent (or booster) vaccinations are valid for one to three years, depending on the recommendation of your veterinary care provider.

“Love your pet and make it official,” said Chief of Humane Law Enforcement Bill Ganley. “Whether this is the first time or a renewal, making sure pets are properly identified with a license, tags and microchipping is the best way to reunite them with their families if they become lost or stolen. It is not just the law to have your dog vaccinated against rabies and licensed, it protects your pet in so many ways.”

Benefits of Licensing

• Licensed pets are more likely to be reunited with their owners if they become lost.
• A license provides proof of a pet’s rabies vaccination and of ownership.
• Licensed dogs receive a Pet Hub tag, which comes with a QR-code that can store phone numbers, medical information and a secondary emergency contact, like a veterinarian.
• Dog’s with a valid license receive a free ride home by San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Officers if found stray — skipping a trip to the shelter and reducing reclaim fees.

The owner of every dog over the age of four months is required by law to ensure the pet is properly licensed and currently vaccinated against rabies. A license must be purchased within 30 days after reaching the age of four months, within 30 days of acquiring the dog, or within 30 days after entering the jurisdiction.

Learn more at sdhumane.org/license.