According to Pennsylvania law, all dogs three months of age and older must be licensed yearly.

Licenses are issued by the county treasurer, and in Butler County, dog licenses are issued through the office of Treasurer Diane R. Marburger.

“Owning a dog is one of the great American pastimes and privileges,” said Marburger. “Dogs fill the role of companion, guide, hunter, guardian, herdsman and entertainer.

“But owning a dog is a major responsibility as well. A dog owner who fails to follow the dog law may be subject to fines of up to $300.”

In addition to maintaining your pet as a good citizen, a dog license has other benefits, especially when owner and animal become separated.

The Butler County Treasurer’s office receives hundreds of lost dog calls each year. The licensing information has helped to reunite owners and their pets.

Marburger said the cases that really prove the value of dog licensing are the ones that occur when a dog runs away while the dog and its owners are on vacation.

“A couple years ago,” said Marburger, “my office received a call from a Florida resident who found a stray dog wearing a Butler County dog tag.”

“Pet and owner were reunited, but the happy ending occurred only because the dog was properly licensed.”

Marburger has a tip for people who have acquired a new dog and are thinking about having the animal neutered or spayed.

“Call my office at 724-284-5149 to learn more about Pennsylvania’s Lifetime Dog License Program. It’s rather inexpensive, and it provides for future convenience by not having to renew your dog license annually.”

You can purchase a license by mailing in the dog license application provided in this edition of Progress. Dog licenses are also available at the treasurer’s office or at any of these dog license agents:

Slippery Rock Hardware, Grove City Road, Slippery Rock; Butler Agway, Evans City Road, Butler; C & S Hardware, West Main Street, Saxonburg; Cranberry Library, Rochester Road, Cranberry Township; Evans City Library, South Jackson Street, Evans City; Hays Hardware, Slippery Rock Road, Chicora; Hockenberger Motors, South Main Street, Zelienople; Butler County Humane Society, Evans City Road, Renfrew; Mars Library, Crowe Avenue, Mars; Pets in the Park, Moraine Pointe Plaza, Butler; Seven Fields Borough office, Garden Drive, Seven Fields; Trader Horn, New Castle Road, Butler; Trader Horn, Oneida Valley Road, Eau Claire; Twinbrook Animal Clinic, Pittsburgh Road, Valencia; and Zanella Milling, Main Street, West Sunbury.

This article was submitted by the Butler County Treasurer.