About a year ago, Bonnie Scriver, who resides in the Turkey Hollow subdivision in Mechanicsville, started caring for her daughter’s poodle, Boo Boo.  Gradually over the months, her daughter’s dog became her dog.

Scriver says that she planned to license her newly acquired pet when she licensed her other dog, which was still a puppy.

Then on April 1, she received a visit from Sgt. Caroline Hairfield, Field Supervisor for the Hanover County Animal Control Department.

“She was going around notifying people about rabies, explaining why we should have rabies shots,” said Scriver. “I thought this was a great thing, a public service, and I had nothing to hide. I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong.”

Scriver showed Hairfield proof of her animals’ rabies vaccinations.

But when Hairfield discovered that the poodle wasn’t licensed, her response was swift, and it turned out, final.

Scriver was found to be in violation of the Hanover County Code of Ordinances, Sec. 4-56, which states, “It shall be unlawful for any person to own a dog four (4) months old or older in the county unless such dog is currently licensed under the provisions of this division.”

She wound up paying $91, she says, in fines and court costs.

“If I was negligent in not getting rabies shots, and my dog was running through the street, I wouldn’t have a problem with the fine at all,” said Scriver. “But I felt violated with the way she walked in my house like she was doing something good—and then wanted my driver’s license, and fined me.”

Two of Scriver’s neighbors, including Michelle Mattson, also received fines that day.

Mattson says that Hairfield told her that she had heard dogs barking in the house, and wanted to make sure that the dogs had been vaccinated for rabies. “I got the rabies certificates, then she said, do you have a license,” said Mattson, who was unaware of the county’ licensing law. Then, “she handed me a ticket.”
Mattsons fines and court costs totaled $116, she says.

On April 2, the day after Hartfield’s visit, Mattson received a letter from the county.

“It said, ‘we want to advise you that we know you have a dog, and to please get the dog licensed by March 31st,” she said. “It was postmarked for March 31st, and came to my home on April 2nd. I called the county, and the woman who answered said it was a mistake, that it was supposed to go out early and didn’t go out.”

Hanover County’s Chief of Animal Control, Sgt. Kevin Kilgore, says that these letters are in response to a law that went in effect last July, requiring veterinarians to send copies of all rabies vaccinations to the local government.

“The letters are just a service of the Treasurer’s Office,” said Kilgore. “It’s nothing that we have anything to do with. It’s a courtesy, a reminder to get licenses done.”

Although methods such as neighborhood and community canvassing might not be popular, they are nothing new. “It has always been a proactive program,” said Kilgore. “The county advertises through (the media) and our Web site early on in the year for people to have this done. And standard practice is, if there is a violation, we will issue a fine.”

So what does licensing dogs accomplish?

Kilgore says that dog licenses achieve three purposes.

“There is a pandemic of rabies in Hanover County now,” said Kilgore, pointing out the first reason for licensing local pets: Keeping track of dogs in the vicinity, and making sure that these animals are vaccinated against the deadly disease, can save lives.

Second, licensing provides a way of identifying animals. “If a dog gets lost, local officials, including Animal Control, can look it up and see who it belongs to.”
Finally, says Kilgore, licensing dogs lets the Animal Control see how many dogs are here in Hanover County, so that local needs can be determined and addressed.

Kilgore says that neighborhood canvassing is an ongoing program, especially in areas where there has been low compliance rates to local laws, including complaints of loose dogs.

How does this affect citizens such as Scriver? 

“Hopefully, in the future,” said Kilgore,“she’ll know she has to go out and get her dog license.”

Where Licenses Are Sold:

• Ashcake Animal Clinic, 550-2458
• Ashland Veterinary Hospital, 798-8169
• Fin & Feather, 798-2228
• Hanover County Pound, 365-6485
• Atlee Library, 559-0654
• Chennault Veterinary Hospital, 537-5434
• Hanover County Treasurer’s Office, 365-6050
• Bell Creek Veterinary Hospital, 730-8545
• Mechanicsville Animal Hospital, 559-9800
• Goodway, Inc., 883-5259
• Montpelier Animal Hospital, 883-5511