Auditor partners with DocuPet for new online dog license program

By Carol McIntire

Editor

2025 dog licenses for Carroll County go on sale Dec. 1 under a new licensing system. 

Officials in the Carroll County Auditor’s office, which is responsible for licensing dogs in the county, said all dog licenses must be purchased online, beginning this year. 

Auditor Lynn Fairclough is partnering with DocuPet, an online pet profile and lost pet licensing platform to provide the service.

The cost of licenses remains the same for 2024, $16 for a one-year tag, $48 for a three-year tag, $80 for kennel license and $160 for a permanent tag. Licenses must be paid for online or by mailing a check to DocuPet. License tags will be mailed to dog owners. 

County residents must purchase licenses online, there will not be any local businesses (known as agents) selling tags as in the past.

Auditor office officials said there will be a computer set up in the auditor’s office, located on the second floor of the county courthouse, and employees will be available to assist residents who do have access to a computer. 

All dogs in Carroll County must be licensed annually, with renewals due by Jan. 31. Pet owners can learn more and purchase licenses online at carrollcountyohio.docupet.com.. Posters are also located around the county which include a QR code that can be scanned. The code opens the licensing website.

Auditor officials also noted that once a dog license is purchased, that individual license number will stay with the dog throughout its life. Under the previous system, a new license was purchased each year.

“We are excited about our partnership with DocuPet as their online solution will be extremely valuable to pet owners and necessary for animal safety within the community,” said Fairclough. “The pet licensing partnership will help to reduce the number of animals in our local shelter and open space and vital resources for pets that truly need our care. We are excited for residents to utilize this program to help protect their pets and all pets in the community.”

The DocuPet licensing and complimentary HomeSafe® 24/7 lost pet service offers residents an effective pet identification program and reunification program that keeps pets out of the dog pound and returns them home safely, according to the company.

Residents can browse hundreds of colorful and unique designer tag styles or design their own tags with an easy-to-use customization tool. Every DocuPet tag is equipped with free HomeSafe® 24/7 lost pet service and may double as the pet’s official license.

Tags are assigned a unique code on the back which links directly to a pet’s secure online profile, making it easy for anyone who finds a lost pet to reference the code and create a lost pet report in seconds. Pet owners can also create a lost pet report as soon as they realize their pet has gone missing. In addition, the DocuPet dispatch staff is available 24/7 to reunite lost pets with their families around the clock. 

Although dog licensing is mandatory in Carroll County, many owners do not license their dogs regularly, according to auditor officials. It is hoped this new system, with the lost pet feature, will encourage owners to license and register their dogs.

Anyone with questions should call the auditor’s office at 330-627-2250. Dog owners on record in Carroll County will receive a letter advising them of the changes in the near future.