FOR RESIDENTS
Registration
All dogs four months and older must be registered with the City of Chicago, per Municipal Code 07-12-140. Registering your dog with the City of Chicago may help locate your dog in the event it gets lost. The person who finds your dog simply calls the City Clerks Office at 312-744-DOGS with your dog emblem number (on your dog’s tag). Dog registration is also required to stay at many dog boarding and daycare service facilities and for acquiring permission to enter the Chicago Park District’s dog-friendly areas.
To be registered, dogs must have a current rabies vaccination. Since rabies vaccinations typically last either one or three years (depending on the vaccination administered by your dog’s vet), the Office of the City Clerk offers 1-year and 3-year dog registration emblems.
- Term Start of the emblem defaults to the transaction date. If there is a current emblem for a dog but the vaccination is still valid, the Term Start will be the day after the current emblem expires.
- Term End of the emblem will either be the Vaccination Expiration Date, or one year from the Term Start if the Vaccination Expiration Date is greater than a year into the future.
Buying your dog emblem online is easy, fast, and convenient. Have your vaccination documentation ready and go to EZ>BUY (https://ezbuy.chicityclerk.com) to order online. Please allow 7 to 9 business days to receive your Dog License Emblem. If you need your Dog License Emblem immediately, please visit one of the City Clerks in-person sales locations (https://www.chicityclerk.com/office-info/hours-and-locations).
License Prices
For Sterilized Dogs
- 1 Year Sterilized Dog-$5/Senior discount $2.50
- 3 Year Sterilized Dog-$15/Senior discount $7.50
For Non-Sterilized Dogs
- 1 Year Non-Sterilized Dog-$50/Senior discount $5
- 3 Year Non-Sterilized Dog-$150/Senior discount $15
Unsterilized dog fees are higher because thousands of dogs are euthanized annually or suffer as strays because of unwanted, unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering. One unspayed female and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in just six years. Sterilized dogs are also healthier and have fewer medical problems. In addition, spaying and neutering can make pets less likely to run away or fight with other animals.
Dog Friendly Areas (DFA) in/near the 42nd Ward:
- Grant Park Dog Friendly Area (951 South Columbus Drive)
- Lake Shore East Dog Friendly Area (450 East Benton Place)
- Park No. 551 Dog Friendly Area (353 North Desplaines Street)
- Ward Park Dog Friendly Area (630 North Kingsbury Street)
- Mary Bartelme Dog Friendly Area (115 South Sangamon Street)
- Ohio Place Dog Park (360 West Ohio Street)
- Bennett Park Dog Friendly Area (456 East Illinois Street)
Pet Do’s and Don’t’s
DO
Clean up after your pet!
It keeps your neighborhood clean and safe, and reduces rodent problems in your area.
Keep your pet on a leash.
You must keep your pet on a leash at all times to avoid a violation of city ordinance 7-12-030. This ordinance is in effect to protect your pet, as well as others, and is strictly enforced. Violators of this ordinance are subject to a fine of at least $300.
Spay and neuter your pet
Do not contribute to pet overpopulation. CACC impounds 20,000 stray, lost, unwanted and injured animals each year. Spaying or neutering your pet is a critical component to limiting the number of homeless and unwanted animals.
DON’T
Leave pets outdoors when the temperature drops.
Regardless of the season, shorthaired, very young or old dogs and all cats should never be left outside without supervision. Short-coated dogs may feel more comfortable wearing a sweater during walks.
Over-exercise your animal in the heat.
On a sweltering day, the best time to exercise your pet is in the early morning or late evening.
Leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle.
In extreme heat, the temperature can rise in your vehicle very quickly. This can leave your pet vulnerable to heat stroke, which can onset very quickly.