Published March 25 2019
Regional Animal Services of King County staff in collaboration with partner cities, will go door-to-door on weekends, starting Saturday, April 6, to educate residents about the advantages of pet licensing and ensuring that pets are properly licensed. Important benefits include:
- Reuniting owners with their lost pets, including providing licensed pets a free ride home;
- Adopting pets by supporting care at both county pet adoption centers;
- Responding to reports of dangerous or nuisance animals; and
- Investigating and prosecuting cases of animal cruelty or neglect.
All cats and dogs eight weeks and older are required to be licensed with King County. The canvassing will take place 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturdays and 1-7:30 p.m. on Sundays.
Pet licensing representatives will visit neighborhoods in Bellevue and other King County cities on weekends through October. In Bellevue, they will start with Coal Creek neighborhoods in the 98006 zip code. The campaign will wind up in north Bellevue near the city’s borders with Kirkland.
In addition to visiting single-family homes, RASKC representatives are also working with apartment managers and will visit apartment complexes to help renters learn about and comply with licensing requirements.
If a representative finds an unlicensed pet, they will not issue a citation. Instead, they provide a free temporary license, which allows pet owners time to purchase a permanent license.
Pet licensing representatives are easily recognized by their King County identification badges and bright blue RASKC polo shirts and jackets. They will have business cards and pet licensing documents too. As county employees, they follow strict guidelines regarding professional conduct. Staff will not peer in windows or over fences looking for pets, nor will they ask for payment at the door.
King County pet licenses can be purchased online, by mail or in person at City Hall, Mini-City Hall at Crossroads, all QFC stores in Bellevue or Aerowood Animal Hospital.