Summerland Council will consider increasing dog licensing fees next year – Penticton News

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Summerland Council will consider a $10 increase per dog license next year after county staff offered to offset rising costs.

The county currently charges $60 for non-spayed or neutered (i.e. intact) dogs and $30 for spayed or neutered dogs.

While this is in line with the costs of nearby municipalities: Penticton’s expected 2025 rates are $35 per spayed/neutered dog and $70 per intact dog, RDCO rates are $20 and $60, and Kamloops $30 and $65, size The county’s dog license fees have not been updated. since 2017.

According to the staff report, costs have not kept pace with inflationary pressures.

“Summerland County has made significant investments in recent years to support dog owners, including the construction of two dog theme parks, one at Peach Orchard Park and the other at Dale Meadows Sports Complex,” staff added.

“In addition to the physical construction of the parks, these dog facilities also come with an increased operational impact on the county’s code enforcement cost center as well as park maintenance. For these reasons, employees believe dog owners should pay more. to cover this additional impact on operating costs rather than relying on general taxation.”

This $10 increase to the dog license fee will be $40 for spayed or neutered dogs and $70 for intact dogs.

Staff are also asking the council to remove the 50 per cent license discount (i.e. the prorated rate) after 30 June.

“Most dog licenses are renewed at the beginning of the calendar year, and this 50 percent discount creates some administrative burden when new licenses are issued after June 30.”

The county said it issues an average of about 1,000 dog licenses each calendar year, which translates to an additional $10,000 in projected additional revenue.

If the council approves these changes, they will be included as bylaw amendments at the 2025 budget meeting on December 17, 2024.

The council will discuss the fee change proposal on Tuesday.