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.

Drake (A21685755) is one of the many wonderful dogs in urgent need of adoption, foster care, or rescue at Philadelphia’s animal control shelter (ACCT). Drake is a young boy approximately 1 to 2 years of age. He is a solid 46 pound Pit Bull terrier mix.

Drake was found as a stray but is very social and friendly. He is easy to walk, and gentle with treats. He knows sit and is eager to please. He also seems to be housetrained. Drake is the perfect package! He is calm and affectionate, but still has the puppy energy and will play up a storm. Drake seems to really like other doggies, so if you have one at home bring them in to meet him.

If you’re interested in adopting or fostering Drake, call 267-385-3800 or send a message at: acctpetfinder@gmail.com.

ACCT Philly (Animal Care & Control Team of Philadelphia) is full to the brim and all dogs in the shelter are at risk, so adopting or fostering a dog helps save its life. This week’s featured dog is Leona. She is calm, sweet and great on the leash! She is about 2-3 years old, and on the smaller side of medium at 41 lbs. She has a stunning grey coat and huge bat ears that are just waiting for someone to say: “Your new forever home is with me!” In the meantime, this girl is biding her time at the shelter, where she enjoys romping in the play yard and cuddling with her volunteer friends.

She has wonderful manners and is house trained, knows a few commands and is so gentle on the leash – very easy to walk. She would love to be adopted to a home that would take her for walks and let her cuddle on the couch. She’s also great with kids. Poor Leona is on treatment for kennel cough and needs a loving home ASAP to recover. If Leona sounds like a good fit for you, stop into ACCT Philly today and adopt her! She is urgent!

If you rather not commit to adopting her, fostering is a great way to save her life to help her find her forever family.

Leona is up to date on his shots, microchipped and will be spayed. So she already comes with “the works”.

Ask for her either in the Life Saving Office (fostering) or in Adoptions. ACCT is located at 111 W. Hunting Park Avenue in Philadelphia. Please check www.acctphilly.org for hours. To check the status of an animal, call 267-385-3800 or email acctpetfinder@gmail.com.

Sosa is here and is waiting for you! This pretty girl is only around 6 months old, just a young pup looking for her forever home. She is a sweet and playful girl and loves to make friends with the staff and volunteers at Philadelphia’s animal control shelter, ACCT, where she is currently residing. Sosa is very playful and full of puppy energy and would love a home that would teach her basic obedience and take her for nice long walks. This puppy is struggling in her kennel at ACCT. All she wants is to learn, love, and live.

This is just one of the many wonderful dogs in urgent need of adoption, foster care, or rescue at ACCT Philly. You can stop down and meet them, and after filling out an application with shelter staff, interact with them 365 days a year at the shelter located at 111 W. Hunting Park Avenue in Philadelphia. Please check www.acctphilly.org for hours.

Come in and take home a forever friend today! To check the status of an animal, call 267-385-3800 or email: acctpetfinder@gmail.com.

Solo is a 1-2 year-old male pit bull terrier mix, weighing about 36 lbs. He has had a rough start, being underweight and found tied to a tree. But his tagline should be “The past belongs in the past, and the present is a present.”

This gentle boy not only loves to cuddle, he walks like a gentleman on the leash and has no issues with other dogs. He can be a bit nervous in overwhelming environments, but in a quiet and gentle home, he will quickly open up and could potentially live with other dogs.

Due to his young age and former “life,” Solo’s coat looks crazy with a mix of browns. Once he is on a steady diet and less stressed, his coat should become a deep chocolate brown (a lovely contrast with those golden eyes!). Once comfortable, Solo enjoys curling up for a nap or giving sweet kisses to anyone willing to offer a belly rub. This boy has quickly won the hearts of many volunteers and shouldn’t have to spend another day in the shelter.

If you’re looking for an easy companion animal, Solo is your dog. Please come to ACCT and meet Solo. If you are not ready to commit to adopting Solo but would like to help, fostering him and helping him find his forever family is a wonderful way to save not only Solo’s life but also the life of the dog who gets to move into Solo’s kennel at the shelter.

The shelter is located at 111 W. Hunting Park Avenue in Philadelphia. Please check www.acctphilly.org for hours. Come in and take home a forever friend today! To check the status of an animal, call 267-385-3800 or email acctpetfinder@gmail.com.

Jayla (ACCT name) is a beautiful 1-2 year-old female pitbull mix that was found earlier this month in Clark Park (it’s possible that she had been abandoned.) She was taken to ACCT Philly and is now officially up for adoption (or foster) at ACCT shelter.

Jayla is already spayed, so she is one-paw-out the door, ready to go home with you. Jayla is a gorgeous dog and you will be the envy of your friends, walking this cutie pie down the street! She is very playful and full of spunk and would love to go for long walks or maybe a jog! Jayla also seems to be interested in meeting other dogs. A doggy friend for Jayla would be great! She is a sweet young girl who would love for you to show her the good life! So come into ACCT and meet her today!

If you or someone you know would be interested in adopting or fostering her please contact ACCT shelter (267-385-3800 or acctpetfinder@gmail.com). Jayla’s ID is 19795850.