Georgetown Animal Services

Pet Licenses

Why license?

City ordinance requires all dogs and cats, four months of age or older, that are kept or harbored for 30 days or longer within the City limits to be licensed annually with Animal Services. You can get a ticket and be fined for failing to license your dogs and cats.  A pet license is not the same things as a rabies vaccination tag, which is issued at the time an animal receives the vaccination. Licensing is the only practical way Animal Services can enforce state rabies vaccination requirements.  If you are not sure if you live in the city limits or not, you can check here.

Benefits

  • One free ride per year for spayed/neutered pets that have a current city license. Meaning, if your pet is lost and brought to the shelter, we will waive the impound fee.
  • A license on the collar of your cat or dog guarantees quick identification of the pet if picked up by Animal Services. If a pet has been seriously injured, it can easily mean the difference between life and death for the pet if Animal Services personnel can quickly locate the pet’s owner.
  • Identified pets are held at the animal shelter for 7 days for the owner to claim the pet, whereas an unidentified pet can be put up for adoption after only 3 days.

Requirements

  • Proof of current rabies vaccination
  • Owner and animal information
  • Payment, if applicable

Cost

  • $5 for cat and dogs that are spayed or neutered
  • $20 for cats and dogs that are not spayed or neutered
  • Free: Seniors (age 65 and older) can receive one free pet license per person for a cat or dog that has been spayed or neutered.
  • Free: Service animals

How to get your pet’s license

Licenses can be purchased or renewed online, through the mail, and at the Animal Shelter. Some local veterinary offices sell pet licenses on behalf of Animal Services, as a courtesy to their clients.

  • To request pet licenses online, use this form if you will be making a payment or this form if your license(s) is free. You will be asked to upload rabies certificates and to pay via credit card. The physical tags will be mailed to you.
  • If you prefer to use the postal service, please use this form.  Print out and mail in this completed form, payment if applicable, and a photocopy of the animal’s rabies vaccination certificate. Please allow 2-4 weeks for processing.
  • You may also obtain pet licenses in person at the animal shelter.

Multiple Pet Permits

Residents that have more than 5 pets (cats and/or dogs) are also required to purchase a multiple pet permit for $100.  To qualify, all dogs and cats must be spayed or neutered and have current rabies vaccinations and pet licenses.  Permits are valid for one year and require a home inspection by Animal Control.  To read the ordinance, go to https://government.georgetown.org/code-of-ordinances/, and then read Chapter 7, Sec 7.02.030 Multi pet permit: requirements.

County Licenses

If you live outside of the city limits, you do not require a City of Georgetown license for your pet. However, you may be required to register your pet within the jurisdiction you live in – whether a county or another city.

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