(This is the complete press release that is referred to in our Friday, November 15 News)

The Town of Cobourg’s Legislative Services Department is pleased to announce the launch of a new program called DocuPet, a world-leading pet profile, lost pets and licensing platform.

Licensing pets in the Town of Cobourg will become easier, modernized, and more valuable for everyone. Pet owners can now get free access to DocuPet’s Home Safe ™ Lost Pet Service, and designer tags linked to a secure online profile when they license their pets.

Beginning in January 2020, residents of Cobourg will be able to license pets using DocuPet’s licensing platform. To make the transition simpler for pet owners, the Town of Cobourg is extending the validity of 2019 pet licenses to February 29th, 2020. Additionally all future licenses will operate on a 365 day expiration model meaning instead of all licenses expiring at the end of the year, they will instead expire exactly 365 days later. For citizens who may not have access to a computer the Legislative Services Department is offering in-person assistance.

“Running an effective pet identification program is incredibly important for the welfare of pets. Keeping lost pets out of shelters and returning them to their parents is our priority at DocuPet. Over the past six years, we have helped thousands of lost pets get back home, but there is still the same joy in the office every time we get the news that we have another success story. We are really looking forward to helping pets in Cobourg get home safe,” says Grant Goodwin, CEO of DocuPet.

Proper and efficient identification of pets is a core method for protecting their welfare. Without proper identification and easily-accessible information about a pet, they will end up in a shelter if they go missing. Low licensing compliance is a real problem, both for Animal Protection teams and for the pets themselves. Across North America, an average of only 13% of pets are licensed, despite ordinances requiring it in most jurisdictions, including the Town of Cobourg.

“We are eager to launch with DocuPet who have a proven track record of improving pet licensing observance through value-added services, and that’s good news for animal welfare in Cobourg,” said Angela Stewart, Licensing Officer for the Town of Cobourg.

Citizens are also advised that the Schedule 'A' of the Fees and Charges By-law No. 088-2017 was amended to adopt the revised fees and charges for the purchase of a Dog Tag to $20 for a spayed/neutered animal and $35 for a natural animal, and eliminate the March 1st early bird fee to remain consistent with the member municipalities within the Joint Animal Control Municipal Services Board (JACMSB).

For more information on licensing your dog within the Town of Cobourg please visit www.cobourg.ca/dogs.