Kathy Adams
The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
Two years ago, the city unveiled a plan to replace its aging animal shelter, in part by increasing pet license fees.
Veterinarians were given the power to issue licenses, but the money that trickled in was below expectations. As it turns out, the city was largely missing a key revenue source: license fees for animals adopted from its own shelter.
On March 15, the Virginia Beach Animal Control Bureau, which is run by the police department, will start requiring people who adopt dogs and cats from the city shelter to buy the $5 to $10 annual license.
Licenses weren't a requirement for adoption before because the shelter wasn't vaccinating animals for rabies, a prerequisite for the tag, spokesman Wayne Gilbert said. He said the shelter started giving rabies shots last month.
In 2008 and 2009, the Animal Control shelter adopted out 2,996 dogs and cats. If the shelter had required licensing for them, the city could have raised as much as $29,960, depending on whether the animals were spayed or neutered.
It's unknown how many owners licensed pets after adopting because the staffers don't follow up, Gilbert said.
Only a small percentage of owners license their pets. Of the estimated 400,000 dogs and cats in Virginia Beach, about 9 percent were registered in 2009, although it's required by law annually.
The city treasurer's office sells pet licenses. In 2008 and 2009, the tag sales brought in about $789,000.
License fees would generate only a part of the $9 million still needed to build a new shelter, which has an estimated price of $11 million.
Adding the license fee will bring the cost of adopting a fixed cat to $25 and an unfixed cat to $80. For dogs, the cost will be $32 fixed and $85 unfixed.
"Now we're making sure when an animal leaves here it's a legal animal," Gilbert said.
Kathy Adams, (757) 222-5155, kathy.adams@pilotonline.com
Aaron Applegate, (757) 222-5122, aaron.applegate@pilotonline.com
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instead of a license....
how about implanting chips into adopted animals and this is the cost of adoption? This way *if* they're abandoned by their new owner there'll be a starting point in tracking that individual down and prosecuting them for animal cruelty/abandonment. There are far too many animals not being taken care of, abused or abandoned.
Seems short-sighted to me
So how will the shelter handle people from other cities that want to adopt animals? Force them to pay VB dog license, then when I get back to Chesapeake I have to buy another license for Chesapeake? If the person lives in VB, fine, charge them the license fee. But if the dog is going to be housed in another city, they shouldn't be forced to pay VB fee and the other city fees. This will only discourage adoptions. And it isn't about the money - it's about the damn goverment putting their hands in our pockets, AGAIN!
This is a luxury tax.
Owning a pet is a luxury. One is not necessary. If you do not want to pay the tax, do not have a pet.
Adoption Fees (another tax)
I adopt my animals. Therefore, because I live in Va Beach and am fed up with tax, tax, tax, and more tax, I will go to Chesapeake and adopt from them
That is great that you adopt
That is great that you adopt your animals, I commend you. However you stilll need to license them in the city in which they are domiciled. If you are such and advocate for animal adoption why would you not want them to be in a better facility which is what the license fees are going to?
Am I to infer that the
Am I to infer that the shelter releases UN-neutered animals for adoption?
"depending on whether the animals were spayed or neutered."
Please tell that all adoptees are neutered before leaving.
neutered
Unfortunately, no they were not. Their veterinary service was minimal at the shelter until recent changes. So yes, they were continuing to contribute to the animal over-population in VB. They were unable to tell my fiancee if the rabbit that she adopted had been neutered! And it was an owner turn-in. My belief is that the the shelter should only deal with animals that have been captured by animal control officers and are in the holding time waiting for owner claim. Once they can be adopted out, their care should be passed to the SPCA. Its cheaper to pay a per animal fee to the SPCA to house/care for the animals than it is for the city to build a duplicate infrastructure that isn't necessary.
Let's see... All VB needs to do is
It's simple to make the math work.. If the avg # of animals adopted every two yrs is 2,996 then to generate the remaining $9M for the shelter, the city needs to only raise the license fee to just over $3,000 and the shelter will be paid by those that would use it, in just two years time!
Reference:In 2008 and 2009, the Animal Control shelter adopted out 2,996 dogs and cats.... License fees would generate only a part of the $9 million still needed to build a new shelter, which has an estimated price of $11 million.
licenses
Does this mean that persons from somewhere other than Virginia Beach would be either required to get a license there as well as where they live, or that only people from Virginia Beach can adopt from that shelter? I was interested in a dog they had there a few years ago, but they refused to consider me because I would not bring my other dogs in to meet that one. Shortsighted of them, because I take only older or special needs dogs - those which are least likely to find homes.
where's the new building?
Ok, the city's been collecting the money! There's even a developer who has offered to assist in building a new building!! WHERE IS IT??????