Jackson Heights Life

If NYC really wants a quick influx of money, they should start ticketing unlicensed dog owners. There is an estimated 5.5 million dogs in NYC and there are less than 400,000 licensed. That's around 7 1/4%!

I remember when the animal license people would come around once a year and ring every doorbell. If a dog barked, and someone was home, they asked to see the dog's license. If it was produced, all fine and well. If it wasn't, they were given a ticket and an application and told that they had 60 days to get the dog licensed and that at their court date they were to bring the license to the court. If they didn't, or if they didn't show up in court, a warrant was issued for their arrest and the dog was allowed to be removed from their home. If no-one answered the doorbell, and a dog was barking, the officer left a form letter and a license application and they were told that they had 60 days before a return visit.

What is wrong with people that they don't spend the $8.50 to just stay on the right side of the law?

I'm not sure where the money goes, and I don't know that the license tag serves any purpose except obeying the law. Both my dogs are chipped. I got them already chipped from their breeders. But, many mixed-breed dogs have no identifying markers on them and if they get lost it can be really difficult to identify them, so I guess the ASPCA tag might help

About 4 years ago I was referred to a doctor in Forest Hills. On my way home, I almost hit a tiny red poodle running across the street. I slammed on my brakes, and got out of the car and called for the dog to come. I saw that it was male, so I tried "where's my little boy?" and G-d bless him, he ran right over to me. I grabbed him and got back in the car, pulled into a fire hydrant, found tags on his collar. There was a rabies tag and an ASPCA tag. The rabies tag has the name of the vet. So I called the vet office and told them I had the dog; they checked their record for the tag number and gave me the owner's name and phone number. I called her, still holding the pup in my arms, and told her that I had him, and where I was parked. This little guy had snuck out the front door—unnoticed—when the lady picked up her mail from the mailbox less than 2 hours previously. At first she didn't believe me. Still holding on to her phone she started calling "Carlos, Carlos, come to Mommy, Carlos", I pushed the speaker phone button so the dog could hear her, and like right on cue, he started barking. She ran down the block in her house dress and slippers, and a wonderful reunion was had. So I understand the need for the rabies shot and the tag.

Last year, while packing my groceries in my trunk at the Best Yet market on 19th Avenue, a little Shitzu literally jumped into my car. I waited in the parking lot for around an hour waiting to see if someone would come looking for her. She had no collar and no tattoo. I drove to the nearest vet office and asked if they had a chip reader. They did, but the bastards wanted to charge me $25.00 to do it, so I left and went to another local vet office. They scanned her for free. I called the owner, a Suffolk County number, and left a message on their answering machine, and came home, unpacked my groceries, and introduced my 'guest' to my dogs and they played with toys and ate together for hours. At around 4:30 they called. They were heartsick and so grateful that she was okay. They had come to visit a relative in Jackson Heights and she had somehow wiggled out of her collar when they were on the way back to their car. She got scared from all the noises that she wasn't used to living in a quiet house on Long Island. They said they had plastered the neighborhood with flyers and had stayed overnight hoping to find her. This little girl had done a whole lot of walking to get to the supermarket parking lot! By 6:15 they were here and we pulled off another wildly happy reunion. So I know that chipping really works.

I guess I just keep getting my dogs ASPCA licenses because it is the right thing to do.

Listen, folks, even mixed-breed dogs should be chipped or tattooed. And be sure, if you use a leather collar, that it isn't getting cracked where you close it so that it can break at some point if the dog is pulling. But, IMHO, the best defense against a lost dog is obedience training. When you say COME or STOP that's exactly what the dog should do without any hesitation. Does your dog do that?

a less pleasant topic, but what to do about a hostile neighbor who keeps his barry dog out in his yard all day while he is at work?

What you need to do is to call 311.  They'll direct your call to a special agency that takes care of such matters.  I think it is the DEP. What usually happens is that first the dog owner is given a warning letter .  You too will receive a copy of this letter.  If the abuse continues,  you call again and they send an inspector down which can result in  a fine or removal of the dog--too bad they don't remove the owner!. Try to be as detailed as possible when you call .  Let them know for how long the dog is out and how often it is barking.  I had a similar problem which has now been corrected.  It's most helpful if you can also get several other neighbors to call. They do take such complaints seriously. Good luck!

That's fantastic! We sent in our paperwork to renew our pup's registration as soon as we received it back in early June, and we just received her license this week (which expires in June...explain that one...) I'd love to see a way to streamline that process!