If you are a dog owner and forgot or didn’t get a chance to purchase a license for your pet, read on. Philadelphia’s Animal Care and Control Team (ACCT Philly) has issued an alert prompting residents to get their dogs licensed to avoid penalties:

“Although required by law, dog licensing in Philadelphia has been largely voluntary over the years. That is about to change. In an effort to improve rates of lost dogs being reunited with their owners, ACCT Philly is getting serious about dog licensing. If you are one of Philadelphia’s approximately 300,000 thousand dog owning households in Philadelphia, now is the time to purchase a license or be subject to violation notices and fines.”

Under the law, all dogs over the age of 4 months old must be licensed in the City of Philadelphia within the first 30 days of ownership or moving into the city. Besides being the law, additional benefits for licensed dogs include a longer stay at the shelter if the owner cannot be reached right away, waived holding fees and even a free ride home, reads ACCT Philly’s reminder.

In an effort to make the licensing process easier, ACCT Philly has recently launched the Philadelphia Dog Licensing Online Service Center where you can purchase or renew your dog’s license in the matter of a few minutes. An annual license for altered dogs costs $16 ($8 for senior dog owners). Unaltered dogs will cost you more – $40 ($20). A $2 fee will also apply if you’re using the online service.

In addition, ACCT’s dog licensing center offers information on where you can purchase a license in your neighborhood, how to order a dog license by mail, what to do if you found a pet wearing a license tag, and Q&A.

A small white and brown dog with a bulldog nose and underbite (looks like a terrier/bulldog mix) was found this afternoon, around 4:15 p.m. on Drexel’s campus, near 32nd and Arch. She had a collar but no tags. If this is your dog or if you know where she lives please contact Max at: octobermax@gmail.com

Some of our readers have asked and now we can confirm that Philly Lug Nuts (Facebook page), an alternative competition for dogs, will be back in our neck of the woods on Sunday, May 4. This time the event will take place in Clark Park (43rd and Baltimore), with a low-cost vaccine clinic starting at 11 a.m. and the weight pull at 1 p.m.

As a reminder, the Lug Nuts program was designed as a way to provide competition for men and their dogs that didn’t involve fighting. All kinds of dogs are welcome to take part in the competition, from the smallest to the largest ones. All dogs will be judged by how much weight they pull as a percentage of their body weight.

The dogs wear padded harnesses and pull sleds filled with bags of dog food. Please note that no dog is forced to pull the sled (my dog, a Boston Terrier, refused to pull and preferred to lie down in the grass instead no matter how hard I and Lug Nuts folks tried to encourage him).

The event is co-hosted by the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). Check out the flier below for more details.

Photo by Samra E.

Two loose dogs, a hound mix and a chow mix, were spotted Tuesday morning, around 8:45 a.m., near 48th and Cedar. They were slowly trotting west on Cedar. The dogs looked “pretty thin and unkempt and appeared to be scavenging for trash,” according to a reader who saw them.

UPDATE (10:50 a.m.): ACCT Philly has been notified about these dogs. If anyone spots them again please call 267-385-3800 immediately, so that an Animal Control officer can try to locate them. Also, please read this page on what to do if you find a pet.

It’s impossible to resist Joey’s adorable head tilts. (Photo courtesy ACCT Philly).

Joey is a 3-5 year-old fella with a great personality and love for life! Joey is about 60 pounds or so, so he’s a bigger boy but he is still a lap dog. He is a super friendly guy who just loves being around people and is an all-around happy dog. He is a mellow, very gentle boy. He is happy to sit by your side or give you a hug and just snuggle. He’s also happy to go outside and play and take a walk and get some fresh air.

Joey is a very gentle player and is adorable when he does zoomies. He walks great on a freedom no-pull harness, so if you’re looking for a walking buddy then Joey is your guy. He is very friendly and happy with everyone that he meets, including children. He also gets along great with other dogs.

Joey is neutered, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped, so he’s ready to go home with you. He is an absolute joy to be around and would much rather be in a loving home than the shelter. Joey is currently a Pen Pal at Philadelphia Animal Care and Control, which means he has two buddies dedicated to spending lots of time with him and getting to know him best. He is an amazing boy who truly deserves a great home. Come meet this boy today.

Please contact his pen pals at Always8bball@aol.com for more information on Joey.

Thinking of adding a new feline buddy or two in your house? Look no further than your own neighborhood!

Cheech is “about the sweetest cat ever,” says Tracylea Byford who fostered him for several months. (Photos courtesy of Project MEOW)

Cross-eyed Cheech and his buddy Ping Pong are in the Baltimore Pet Shoppe window waiting to meet their new humans. While they don’t need to be adopted together, each must go to a home with another feline playmate. Cheech’s comical look will have you laughing, and he loves nothing more than a good romp with the feather wand, or a cuddling after he’s tired.

Ping Pong? Well, this boy is so active that the photographer had to wait until she had tired out both boys to get a picture of him, since he apparently is in constant motion when he’s awake. These are gentle boys, they get along with other cats, and are safe with children. While they have not been around dogs, it appears they would adjust to one with proper introduction.

Apply to adopt either or both kittens at the Baltimore Pet Shoppe (4532 Baltimore Ave) or go to: projectmeowadoptions@gmail.com to request a PAWS application.

(Tracylea Byford of Project MEOW contributed to this post).