Bri Swindells feeds her dog, Ducky, a Puppychino from the Hungry Hound food truck during Wooffest in 2024. (Joe Kline/Bulletin file photo)

Deschutes County is making it easier to register your dog with a new online platform called Docupet, aiming to increase licensing rates and compliance with state laws.

Oregon law requires dogs 6 months or older to be vaccinated against rabies and licensed in the county where they reside, but only 32% of dogs in Deschutes County are currently registered according to a release sent out by Deschutes County.

“We want to improve dog registration rates to meet Oregon law which requires every dog in the state to have a license,” said Deschutes County Chief Financial Officer Robert Tintle. “Licensing ensures your dog is up-to-date on rabies vaccinations, which promotes public health and community safety. Additionally, a dog license provides a readily visible form of identification if the pet is lost, enabling a quicker reunification to the owner. It’s beneficial for both pets, the owner, and the public.”

Using the new registration system, dog owners can visit the county and Docupet’s joint website to create a online profile where they can purchase or renew dog licenses. These profiles also allows owners to upload important information such as rabies certificates, microchip numbers and photos to aid in identifying and returning pets if they go missing, making it easy to update records if there are changes in ownership, address or the dog’s status.

“Deschutes County soft launched the new online dog licensing system on July 1st, and attended the Fourth of July pet parade to spread the word. Since then, 315 licenses have been processed,” Tintle said.

One new feature of the online platform is that each license includes access to DocuPet’s lost pet service. Every dog tag issued through the site contains a unique code that links to the pet’s online profile. Anyone who finds a lost dog can quickly report it and help return the animal home. Dog owners can also create a custom tags.

Licensing fees in Deschutes County remain unchanged. The fee is $36 per year for unaltered dogs and $22 for spayed or neutered dogs. Two- and three-year licenses are also available. While service animals are exempt from fees, they still must be licensed. The fine for having an unlicensed dog is $265 in Deschutes County.

For those who prefer not to use the online system, licenses can still be obtained in person with cash or check at the Deschutes County Services Building, located at 1300 NW Wall St. in Bend, or through local humane societies.