The cost of licensing dogs in Dane County will increase over the next four years after county leaders recently approved raising the fees, especially for dogs that haven’t been spayed or neutered.
The county portion of dog licenses is rising from $11 for all dogs to a higher fee depending on whether owners choose to spay or neuter their dogs. For dogs that have been “altered,” the new fee is $16. For “unaltered” dogs, the new fee is $20 next year, $22 the following year, $24 in 2027 and then $26 in 2028.
Dane County leaders approved gradually increasing fees for unaltered dogs over several years after initially considering a budget request for raising fees to $26 next year, which would have been a 136% increase.
The fee increases will bring Dane County in alignment with a state law that requires a price difference between altered and unaltered dogs. State law says if a county, city or village raises its license fees, prices must be higher for unaltered dogs.
In July, the local public health agency said in a budget memo that the volume of work in its Animal Services program had grown and raising dog license fees would bring in nearly $170,000 in additional funding for the program.
Addressing the higher proposed price for unaltered dogs, the agency cited research on those canines being associated with more dangerous behavior.
“Studies have shown that most dog bites are caused by intact, male dogs. Because unaltered dogs pose a greater risk, the fee will be $10 more,” the agency said.
Before the County Board approved raising the fees as part of a budget plan signed by interim County Executive Jamie Kuhn, the head of the county’s Animal Services program said he had received feedback from residents and community leaders who were upset about the proposed hikes.
The village of McFarland president, for example, had opposed the measure at a County Board meeting.
“The people you’re asking to implement these increases are local clerks, our local clerks, who are going to have to administer in November one of the most difficult elections, probably in the lifetime of anyone who’s alive. Then we’ll be asked to pass along these types of increases to our local residents and hear the feedback and reaction for that,” village President Carolyn Clow said at the Oct. 9 meeting.
Dog license fees are a key source of funding for the Animal Services program. Its other source of funding is general tax revenue. John Hausbeck, who oversees the program, said the money earned from dog license fees helps pay for a short-staffed team.
“The amount that we're asking to raise the fee doesn't cover the whole gap of our revenue,” Hausbeck told the Cap Times in October. “We did not raise it further because we figured there would be too much backlash. … It's hard to predict what the costs are going to be. That's really what it comes down to. What do we need to run the program, and what services are being asked for by the community?”
The Animal Services program consists of one lead officer and five field officers. They respond to daily reports of animal mistreatment or welfare issues, including animal bites. The team also ensures domestic animals receive proper vaccination, quarantine and in-home observation.
“We pay the staff, pay for supplies, pay for the vehicles that we have that our staff use to get around the county, and we also pay for shelter services that are provided through a contract by the Humane Society,” Hausbeck said.
In 2007, the Animal Services program added support from the Dane County Humane Society. Today, the society provides a holding facility for stray animals. It also provides care, treatment, rabies-related services and humane disposal of some animals.
Last year, the public health agency provided one-time funding, up to $230,000, to the Humane Society to fund its services, according to city of Madison budget documents.
“Dane County Humane Society has indicated that expenses related to this service have increased significantly over the years,” the documents say.
The organization's 29-acre facility at 5132 Voges Road is an open-admission shelter that accepts animals in need of assistance regardless of age, health status or temperament. Its website says all healthy or treatable animals can stay as long as it takes to find a loving home.
Lisa Bernard, a spokesperson for the Dane County Humane Society, declined to comment on how the organization’s services would be affected by the county's dog license fee increases.
In Madison, both dogs and cats could be licensed for $20 if they are spayed or neutered. The price was $25 if they were unaltered. Because state law doesn’t require that cats be spayed or neutered, they are unaffected by the county’s new increases.
Pet owners in Madison are required to license a cat or dog once it reaches 5 months old. An additional $5 is added if a license is purchased on or after April 1, if pet owners have been residents of Madison for more than a month, or had a pet for more than a month.
