Pet License Fees for Indoor Cats

[JayDee]

I received a flyer from city in early fall saying I had to get my cats licensed. They stay indoors 100% of the time. Among the so-called benefits of the license, according to the city, “Reunites lost pets with their owners”, “Helps fund the care and adoption of shelter animals” and “Protect your community from animal related issues”.

Well my two rescue cats are microchipped, spayed, and totally indoors. So reuniting my cats with me is unlikely, and if it happens then we can be reunited when the microchip is read (which I already paid for). In addition to adopting my cats I donate money to the humane society when the cat mobile visits the West Seattle Farmer’s Market or Thriftway. The only animal related issue of concern for my cats is my feeding and caring for them, and in the very unlikely event they escape they may become coyote food.

I guess if they called it a dog license they would never have created this law and let’s face it, dogs are the primary target.

So while I am Randy Rulefollower a majority of the time this is one case where I am a scofflaw. If this is such a critical need they should fund it out of the general fund and cut back on needless expenses (and please don’t tell me there aren’t any in the City’s budget which continues to grow beyond inflation–Families and Education Levy anyone?)

Share This

[mark47n]

So…you’re just here blathering about how you’re a scofflaw? The purpose of those fees, like the taxes that childless people pay that go towards schools, is to fund the infrastructure that goes towards animal shelters and the like. Your short-sightedness is your own personal problem and now you’re making it everyone else’s.

Congratulations.

Share This

[mehud7]

JayDee-from your own post, “Helps fund the care and adoption of shelter animals.”

Since your own cats are rescues, licensing fees may have helped pay for their care at one time. If they are not from the city shelter, you can look at the fees as paying it forward for other rescued cats.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by mehud7.

Share This

[JayDee]

Thanks for your input.

The City of Seattle license fees are recently imposed (August 2018). My property taxes have risen much faster than inflation over the past several years, and many orders of magnitude more than the new pet license fee. Why don’t they raid the soda tax (which will collect at least 25% more than anticipated, at least $5-7MM ). As someone once told me it doesn’t matter which pocket the funds come from it’s the same set of pants. And same with taxes and while I don’t have children, I can see the benefit in paying taxes to educate them. But this tax is like taxing for something I have that no one else does…What if we funded education depending on whether you had kids or not? My cats will not impose a cost on society because they are not ill-educated kids and are not let free to roam the ‘hood and chance being coyote fare.

Share This

[KBear]

I guess it stands to reason that the only person in West Seattle who keeps their cats indoors is still a scofflaw. Do you have the same objection to car license fees, or do you think we should all bear that burden whether we have cars or not? Animal services are grossly underfunded in Seattle. Just pay your fee.

Share This

[Sue]

Actually, it is not recently imposed. I have been paying it for about 12 years, also on a cat that is 100% indoors. While I agree that it’s a little silly to pay for an indoor cat, I don’t mind it as much as I do mind the pet rent that I pay (on top of the non-refundable pet deposit).

Share This

[newnative]

Pet rent on top of a pet deposit is ridiculous. I wouldn’t doubt that leads to a lot of unreported pets in buildings.

Share This

[mark47n]

Of course, indoor pets never make it outdoors…right?

Share This

[JoB]

JayDee.. my dog is never outside his yard off leash. never. he doesn’t go to dog parks and interact with other dogs. He gets constant vet care, is microchipped and gets his vaccinations.. including kennel cough. still.. i pay to have him licensed.. not because i get any real direct benefit …

it’s just the right thing to do.

Share This

[PatWS]

Well, I was happy to pay my indoor cats’ pet license fees, considering that they go to helping the animals – but I just went online to do so and discovered that two of my cats’ licenses were $13 PLUS a late fee of…$30 each! I couldn’t believe how high the late fee is. I could see $5 or $10 or even $13 – but $30 each? I don’t see how this is justified, and it constitutes a real disincentive to deal with renewal; I’m pretty tempted to just forget about licenses entirely for my indoor cats at this point.

Share This

[Author]

Posts