News

Cash-strapped LA going after unlicensed dogs

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Fri, 26 Feb 2010 0:50:11 CST

Cash-strapped Los Angeles is going to the dogs — literally.

The City Council voted Tuesday to have two departments share information in order to track down people who haven't licensed their pets.

Council President Eric Garcetti estimates two-thirds of the city's dogs are unlicensed. Licenses cost $15 for a sterilized dog and $100 for an unaltered pet.

Getting all dogs licensed would mean at least an additional $3.6 million in fees to the city.

The Department of Animal Services has eight full-time people whose job is to find and license dogs. The Department of Water and Power keeps a meter-reader database of homes with dogs. The council ordered the departments to coordinate to find the pooches.