Sec. 22-338. Licensing of dogs. Fees. Rabies certificate. Exemptions. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 22-338. Licensing of dogs. Fees. Rabies certificate. Exemptions. (a) Each owner or keeper of a dog of the age of six months or older, except dogs kept under a kennel license as provided in section 22-342, shall cause such dog to be licensed in the town clerk's office in the town where such dog is kept, on or before June thirtieth, annually, or at such time as such dog becomes six months old, and annually thereafter, on or before June thirtieth. The owner or keeper shall pay to such town clerk for such license the sum of seven dollars for each neutered male or spayed female dog and the sum of twelve dollars for each unneutered male dog and each unspayed female dog, and one additional dollar in each case as the town clerk's fee for issuing a tag and license as provided in section 22-340. Two dollars from each license fee collected for a neutered or spayed dog shall be deposited into the animal population control account, established under section 22-380g. If an owner or keeper of a dog fails to procure a license as required by this section, such owner or keeper shall pay the appropriate license fee specified in this section, the town clerk's fee and a penalty of one dollar for each month or fraction thereof the dog remains unlicensed.

      (b) Any owner or keeper applying for a license for a dog under subsection (a) of this section, except for those owners or keepers possessing a rabies vaccination exemption certificate, or a copy thereof, issued pursuant to section 22-339b, shall submit to the town clerk a rabies certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian, or a copy thereof, stating that such dog has been vaccinated against rabies, the date of the vaccination and the duration of the immunity provided by the vaccine. No license shall be issued unless the certificate indicates that the immunity provided by the vaccine is effective at the time of licensing.

      (c) Any owner or keeper applying for a license for a dog pursuant to subsection (a) of this section that has been exempted from vaccination against rabies pursuant to section 22-339b shall submit to the town clerk a rabies vaccination exemption certificate issued by the department, or a copy thereof, in lieu of a rabies certificate.

      (d) This section shall not apply to any dog which is imported into this state for exhibition purposes and which does not remain in this state for more than thirty days. Any person may import, from another state, any licensed dog with collar, tag and rabies vaccination certificate, and keep the same in this state for not more than thirty days, without complying with the provisions of this section.

      (1949 Rev., S. 3384; 1953, 1955, S. 1822d; 1957, P.A. 440, S. 2; 1963, P.A. 613, S. 9; February, 1965, P.A. 49, S. 1; P.A. 76-361, S. 1; P.A. 82-323, S. 3; P.A. 85-167, S. 1; P.A. 89-161, S. 1; P.A. 91-46, S. 1, 12; P.A. 93-435, S. 40, 95; P.A. 02-61, S. 1; P.A. 03-103, S. 1; P.A. 06-105, S. 1; P.A. 07-105, S. 1.)

      History: 1963 act made provisions generally applicable deleting references to period between May 1, 1958, and June 30, 1959, and revised fee provisions; 1965 act raised license fee for male or spayed female dog from $2.10 to $3 and for unspayed dog from $5.90 to $7, added reference to charges for fractions of months and changed last date for acquiring license without penalty from July first to June thirtieth; P.A. 76-361 distinguished between neutered and unneutered male dogs in fee provisions as between spayed and unspayed female dogs; P.A. 82-323 doubled various town clerk's fees and penalty applicable until July thirty-first; P.A. 85-167 added Subsec. (b) requiring a rabies certificate for licensing on and after June 1, 1986; P.A. 89-161 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the fees, to remove language on the prorating of fees and to change the method for computing penalties and amended Subsec. (b) to remove outdated language; P.A. 91-46 added Subsec. (c) to provide for an exemption for certain dogs imported into the state; P.A. 93-435 made certain technical and grammatical revisions, effective June 28, 1993; P.A. 02-61 amended Subsec. (a) to increase license fee for neutered or spayed dog from $5 to $7 and allocate $2 from each license fee for a neutered or spayed dog to the Animal Population Control Fund; P.A. 03-103 amended Subsec. (a) to increase license fee for unneutered and unspayed dogs from $9 to $12 and made a technical change in Subsec. (b); P.A. 06-105 amended Subsec. (b) to add exclusion for owners or keepers possessing rabies vaccination exemption certificate and insert "licensed" re veterinarian, added new Subsec. (c) re submittal to town clerk of such certificate and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d); P.A. 07-105 amended Subsec. (a) to change Animal Population Control Fund to animal population control account, effective June 11, 2007.

      See Sec. 22-339b re rabies vaccination exemption.

      Former statute cited. 139 C. 624.