Municipal Clerks and Staff:  

DACF understands your concerns about how the impact of the upcoming election is making it challenging for some Maine towns and cities to begin using on October 15 the new electronic system we are implementing to comply with 7 MRS §3925, Dog licensing database. As you know, the database serves (at least) two important functions: the platform on which pet owners can license their dogs online, and it is the database through which towns will share information with the State about the licenses they are issuing. In conjunction with the Maine Town and City Clerks’ Association, we’ve arrived at a solution that allows us to meet our statutory obligations while addressing election concerns:  

• For this season only (October 15-January 31), the State will manage all aspects of online licensing sales. The system will route requests to us, we will fulfill them, and the State will share revenue with towns once the licensing season is complete. Clerks will not need to expend any effort processing online licenses. Municipalities that received their tags before October 3 and sold more than 150 tags online in 2023 must return tags to AWP.  Use your 2023 number of licenses sold online rounded up to the nearest 50 to determine the number of tags to be sent back. Mail to Animal Welfare, 28 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0028.   

• Towns can delay issuing or recording licenses issued in person until January or until whenever they feel they’ll have the capacity to do so using the new system, so long as all license information makes it into the new database by January 31. There are two important components:  

• All 2025 licenses must be recorded in the new database. So whether towns delay issuing licenses or issue licenses but stockpile that data for later entry, that information will need to come to us through the new system.   

• If towns delay or alter their in-person licensing procedures, we expect them to communicate that to their constituents. The State does not have that capacity.  

Of course, we encourage cities and towns ready to use the new system beginning on October 15 to do so.  

Q&As from last week’s webinar are expected to be posted today and encompass these changes. All updates will be posted at https://www.maine.gov/dacf/ahw/animal_welfare/municipality/index.shtml .  All training materials and guides are also posted at this location.   

All clerks should be signed up for the Animal Welfare Municipality Listserv as this is the primary communication mode for important information. You can find the signup at the above link at the top right of the home page.  

Thank you for your patience during this process!