Dog owners in Lakeshore are no longer required to purchase a dog tag each year.
The program, mainly used to identify lost animals, was ended by the municipality last fall when council voted to discontinue it effective Jan. 1.
The cost for a dog tag was $33 each in 2024. $14,429 in revenue was generated of the 680 dog tags sold in 2023.
Owners must continue to ensure their dogs are identifiable, either through a commercially bought tag with up-to-date contact information or a microchip.
Lakeshore by-law division leader Rob Sassine says ending the program modernizes pet ownership regulations.
"It helps us reduce administrative costs, improves compliance through more effective identification methods, such as the commercially purchased dog tags, or microchips. So ending the program obviously does not absolve dog owners of their duty to be responsible pet owners, but we do want to make it easier for people to identify lost dogs in order to expedite the reuniting with their families."
He says microchips have been a game changer for them.
"It's put in the dog and it lasts for the lifetime of the dog. That information is scanned and we're able to use that information in order to contact the proper owner, but it is key that everyone maintains the information and keep it up to date."
Sassine says microchips are available through veterinary clinics or the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society.
"We partnered in the past with our friends at the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society. We actually hosted a drive-thru dog microchip clinic here at the Atlas Tube Centre in Lakeshore, where you actually drive through with your dogs, you fill out the information, the chip is implanted in your dog while its in your car and you drive through."
He says during that event, the costs for microchips were reduced and they hope to hold another one in the spring.
-With files from AM800's The Dan MacDonald Show with guest host Kyle Horner