2026 Dog licenses available

Pike County residents can now purchase their 2026 dog licenses from the Pike County Treasurer’s Office.

By law, all dogs must be licensed by Jan. 1 of each year unless a lifetime license is obtained. In Pennsylvania, all dogs must be licensed at point of purchase or adoption (earliest is eight weeks of age) or by three months if no transfer of ownership has occurred. Failing to secure a license can result in fines up to $500, plus court costs.

The application is accessible on the Treasurer’s Office page of the county website, www.pikepa.org/treasurer, or at 506 Broad St., Milford.

Please be advised that a fee increase has been implemented for the 2026 licensing year. The small license fee helps protect the millions of dogs across the state, the families who adopt or purchase them, and the communities they live in by funding the important work of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement.

An annual license fee is now $10.80, and a lifetime license is $52.80. Discounts are available to older adults and people with disabilities.

Reasons for dog licensing:

* It’s the law. All dogs three months and older must have a current license.

* The cost of a license is less than the penalty for being caught without one. Owners who fail to license their dogs could face a fine of up to $500 for each unlicensed dog.

* License fees support animal control. The annual fee you pay to license your dog helps keep shelters running and supports the work of the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement, which is responsible for ensuring the welfare of dogs, regulating dangerous dogs and overseeing annual licensing and rabies vaccinations.

For more information on dog licenses and other approved licensing offices, contact the Pike County Treasurer’s Office at 570-296-3441 or log onto www.pikepa.org/treasurer.