The Clark County Auditor’s Office has created software to help county Dog Warden’s Office and The Humane Society Serving Clark County return dogs to their homes faster by creating a database for the dog license information.
All dogs in Ohio must have a dog license. The cost is just $20 per dog and is on sale from now until February 1, 2016. When you purchase a dog license, your name and address along with a description of your dog including the color and breed are part of the information obtained by the Auditor’s Office. This information is then entered into a database.
Previously when a dog was found running with a license on their collar, the dog warden or the shelter staff would need to call the Auditor’s personnel to obtain the information from the database. Auditor’s Office employee Shayne Gray took a look at how this process might be updated and enhanced to allow the dog warden to search the database when he or she took the dog into their custody.
Gray explained that the software that he developed allows the wardens to search the data without leaving the street where the dog is found. The dog wardens have been using the software for the past couple of weeks and after a learning curve Deputy Dog Warden Berrigan Sheils explained that she has been able to reunite some dogs without having to take them to the shelter.
Gray explained the way the system works. The 2015 dog licenses were put onto a map in the system which will show where the home is located for each dog. Of the 22,500 dog tags entered, Gray stated that 3,000 addresses did not map on the system. This was due to the zip code or the designation of East or West for example. The system will archive the dog tags now that it has been put in operation. The 2015 tags will remain on the data files as the new 2016 tags are entered.
Dog wardens can now search by breed, dogs name, color, owners name or just about any other info found on the license application. For example if the warden finds a terrier mix on Rose Street, the software can narrow down the dogs that are licensed on Rose Street and the surrounding neighborhood who are terriers. This could be as few as one or perhaps several houses, but the dog is more likely to go home because they were wearing their dog tag.
Another advantage of this system upgrade is that the shelter and the wardens will no longer need to wait to call the auditor during regular business hours and wait for a response. The information is available 24/7/365.
One of the benefits for the shelter is that they can save money as stray dogs cannot be allowed into the kennel without going through a series of vaccinations. This can also save the dogs from the trauma of going through the intake process and the time in the kennel waiting for their owner to come and pay their fees.
The owners will save the cost of boarding their dogs for the 72 hours that is required for any stray. The only way to save your dog from being taken to the shelter is to follow the mandatory rule of putting the metal dog tag onto the dog’s collar. Keeping the tag in your home is not allowed but many people do this.
All dogs in Clark and all Ohio counties need to have a dog license once they are over 4 months old. A lost dog tag can be replaced for a small fee. “Without a dog license, you are just another stray” said Gray.
Clark County Auditor John Federer noted that he has been concerned about the level of service his office has provided to the community regarding the number of calls his office gets each year in reference to lost dogs. He is very pleased by the changes that the software has made for both his office and The Humane Society. “This is cutting edge technology” said Federer. “To be able to help an animal who is lost saves the pet owner the cost of boarding and also saves them worry” said Federer of the ability to reunite owners and dogs more quickly.
When asked about his ability to develop the software Shane Gray stated “it feels good.”
“This started as a process but you never think about how it will be used” Gray stated in reference to the ability to reunite dogs quickly with their owners.
If you own dogs; you can purchase your 2016 dog license online for just $20 per dog with a $2.50 postage charge. You can also purchase your license in person between 12 and 5 daily except Sunday at The Humane Society Serving Clark County located on 5201 Urbana Road just north of Springfield. PetSmart and some area vets also sell dog licenses.
The $20 spent on your annual mandatory dog license can now be a way to quickly return your beloved dog home should they wander off and get lost.
