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LCO No. 1967 1 of 9
General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5393
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 1967
Referred to Committee on PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Introduced by:
(PD)
AN ACT CONCERNING DOG LICENSES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 22-338 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2
(a) Each owner or keeper of a dog of the age of six months or older, 3
except dogs kept under a kennel license as provided in section 22 -342, 4
shall cause such dog to be licensed in the town clerk's office in the town 5
where such dog is kept, or, in the alternative, electronically with the 6
Department of Agriculture, on or before June thirtieth, [annually] every 7
three years, or at such time as such dog becomes six months old, and 8
[annually] every three years thereafter, on or before June thirtieth. The 9
owner or keeper shall pay to such town clerk or the Department of 10
Agriculture for such license the sum of [seven] fifteen dollars for each 11
[neutered male or spayed female ] dog [and the sum of twelve dollars 12
for each unneutered male dog and each unspayed female dog, ] and, as 13
applicable, one additional dollar [in each case] as the town clerk's fee for 14
issuing a tag and license as provided in section 22 -340, as amended by 15
this act . [Two dollars from ] Twenty-five per cent of each license fee 16
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collected for a [neutered or spayed ] dog shall be deposited into the 17
animal population control account, established under section 22-380g. If 18
an owner or keeper of a dog fails to procure a license as required by this 19
section, such owner or keeper shall pay the appropriate license fee 20
specified in this section, the town clerk's fee, as applicable, and a penalty 21
of one dollar for each month or fraction thereof the dog remains 22
unlicensed. 23
(b) Any owner or keeper applying for a license for a dog under 24
subsection (a) of this section, except for those owners or keepers 25
possessing a rabies vaccination exemption certificate, or a copy thereof, 26
issued pursuant to section 22-339b, shall submit to the town clerk or the 27
Department of Agriculture, as applicable, a rabies certificate signed by 28
a licensed veterinarian, or a copy thereof, stating that such dog has been 29
vaccinated against rabies, the date of the vaccination and the duration 30
of the immunity provided by the vaccine. No license shall be issued 31
unless the certificate indicates that the immunity provided by the 32
vaccine is effective at the time of licensing. 33
(c) Any owner or keeper applying for a license for a dog pursuant to 34
subsection (a) of this section that has been exempted from vaccination 35
against rabies pursuant to section 22-339b shall submit to the town clerk 36
or the Department of Agriculture, as applicable, a rabies vaccination 37
exemption certificate issued by the department, or a copy thereof, in lieu 38
of a rabies certificate. 39
(d) This section shall not apply to any dog which is imported into this 40
state for exhibition purposes and which does not remain in this state for 41
more than thirty days. Any person may import, from another state, any 42
licensed dog with collar, tag and rabies vaccination certificate, and keep 43
the same in this state for not more than thirty days, without complying 44
with the provisions of this section. 45
Sec. 2. Section 22 -339 of the general statutes is repealed and the 46
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 47
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Any person upon becoming the owner or keeper of any unlicensed 48
dog of the age of six months or older shall cause such dog to be licensed 49
within thirty days thereof until the thirtieth day of the ensuing June in 50
the manner and subject to the terms and conditions provided in section 51
22-338, as amended by this act . If the new owner has written proof of 52
purchase or transfer and the license is obtained within thirty days, [he] 53
such new owner shall not be required to pay any penalties as provided 54
by said section for failure to secure a license for a dog over six months 55
of age. Any person becoming the owner of a licensed dog shall present 56
the license and tag of such dog to the town clerk of the town in which 57
[he] such person resides and, for a fee of one dollar, such town clerk 58
shall issue, in lieu thereof, a new license and tag, which shall be recorded 59
in the name of the new owner. Such town clerk shall retain the old 60
license and tag. [in his possession.] 61
Sec. 3. Section 22 -339a of the general statutes is repealed and the 62
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 63
(a) The town clerk of any town and the Commissioner of Agriculture, 64
as applicable, may individually or jointly deputize any employees of 65
any dog pound in such town as agents for the issuance of dog licenses 66
and tags, provided the town clerk shall be solely responsible for 67
compliance with the provisions of the statutes relating to the duties of 68
the town clerk in connection with such licenses and tags and the moneys 69
received therefor. 70
(b) Any person acquiring an unlicensed dog from a dog pound shall 71
be issued a temporary license by the town clerk or the Department of 72
Agriculture, as applicable , or [his] the town clerk's or department's 73
agent deputized pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, which shall 74
expire thirty days after the issuance thereof. Prior to the expiration of a 75
temporary license, the person holding the license shall apply for a 76
license for the remainder of the license [year] period, pay the 77
appropriate license fee specified in section 22 -338, as amended by this 78
act, and submit a certificate signed by a veterinarian, or a copy or 79
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electronic copy, as applicable, thereof, stating (1) that the dog has been 80
vaccinated against rabies, (2) the date of the vaccination and (3) the 81
duration of the immunity provided by the vaccine. No license shall be 82
issued unless the certificate indicates that the immunity provided by the 83
vaccine is effective at the time of licensing. 84
Sec. 4. Subsection (a) of section 22 -339c of the general statutes is 85
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 86
1, 2026): 87
(a) A certificate of rabies vaccination shall be (1) a form approved by 88
the National Association of Public Health Veterinarians, (2) any form 89
approved by the State Veterinarian, or (3) any form that has the 90
following information regarding the vaccinated animal: (A) The name 91
and address of its owner; (B) a description of the animal which specifies 92
its species, breed, age, color or markings and sex; (C) the date of the 93
vaccination, the duration of the immunity provided by the vaccination, 94
the producer of the vaccine and the vaccine serial number; (D) the rabies 95
tag number; and (E) the signature and license number of the 96
veterinarian administering the vaccination. Such certificate shall be the 97
official proof of rabies vaccination submitted to a town clerk or the 98
Department of Agriculture, as applicable, in accordance with the 99
provisions of section 22 -338, as amended by this act, or 22 -339a, as 100
amended by this act. 101
Sec. 5. Section 22 -340 of the general statutes is repealed and the 102
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 103
(a) Each person complying with the provisions of section 22 -338, as 104
amended by this act , 22 -339, as amended by this act, or 22 -342 shall 105
receive from the town clerk or the Department of Agriculture, as 106
applicable, a license on a form prescribed by the commissioner, which 107
license shall contain a description of the dog and the number under 108
which such dog is licensed. The town clerk or the Department of 109
Agriculture, as applicable, shall issue to such person a tag or plate of 110
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material prescribed by the commissioner, upon which shall be distinctly 111
marked [the name of the town in which such dog is licensed,] the license 112
number and the year [of] such license was issued. [No town clerk shall 113
issue such license or tag to any person for any neutered male or spayed 114
female dog not previously licensed as such unless the person causing 115
the dog to be licensed exhibits to the town clerk a certificate from a 116
licensed veterinarian stating that such veterinarian has neutered or 117
spayed the dog or that, after examining the dog, he finds that the dog 118
has been neutered or spayed.] 119
(b) The town clerk shall provide for the issuance and renewal through 120
the mail of licenses issued under sections 22-338, as amended by this act, 121
and 22 -339, as amended by this act . The [town clerk ] Department of 122
Agriculture shall provide for the electronic issuance and renewal of 123
licenses issued by the department pursuant to sections 22 -338, as 124
amended by this act, and 22-339, as amended by this act, and may make 125
information concerning the department's electronic dog licensing 126
system and applications for such licenses available at such facilities as 127
kennels, pet stores, veterinarian offices, humane society offices and pet 128
grooming establishments. 129
Sec. 6. Subsection (a) of section 22 -341 of the 2026 supplement to the 130
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 131
thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 132
(a) Each owner or keeper of a licensed dog shall keep around its neck 133
or body a collar or harness of leather or other suitable material, to which 134
shall be securely attached a tag or plate issued to such person by the 135
town clerk or Department of Agriculture, as applicable. If any such tag 136
or plate is lost, the owner or keeper of such dog shall forthwith secure a 137
substitute tag or plate from the town clerk or Department of 138
Agriculture, as applicable, at a cost of [fifty cents] one dollar. 139
Sec. 7. Section 22 -345 of the general statutes is repealed and the 140
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 141
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Any person with a disability who is the owner or keeper of a dog that 142
has been trained as a service animal, is in training to become a service 143
animal for such person, is in training to become a service animal or is 144
enrolled in a program described in section 17a -22ee shall receive a 145
license and tag for such dog from the town clerk of the town where such 146
dog is owned or kept or from the Department of Agriculture . Such 147
license and tag shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of 148
section 22-340, as amended by this act , and no fee shall be required of 149
the owner or keeper of any such dog. [When any such dog has not been 150
previously licensed by the town clerk to whom application is being 151
made, and it is not obvious that the dog is a service animal, such town 152
clerk may inquire of such owner or keeper whether the dog is a service 153
animal required because of a disability and what work or task the dog 154
has been trained to perform. ] Any person who has a dog placed with 155
such person temporarily, including for breeding purposes, by a 156
nonprofit organization established for the purpose of training or 157
educating the dog as a service animal shall receive a license and tag for 158
such dog from the town clerk of the town where such dog is kept or 159
from the Department of Agriculture. Such license and tag shall be issued 160
in accordance with the provisions of section 22-340, as amended by this 161
act, and no fee shall be required for such license and tag, provided such 162
person [presents confirmation] confirms that such dog was placed with 163
such person by such organization. As used in this section, (1) "disability" 164
means any one or more of the following, as defined in section 46a -51: 165
(A) An intellectual disability, (B) physically disabled, (C) a mental 166
disability, or (D) a learning disability; and (2) "service animal" has the 167
same meaning as provided in 28 CFR 35.104, as amended from time to 168
time, and includes a service animal in training. 169
Sec. 8. Section 22 -347 of the general statutes is repealed and the 170
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 171
(a) Within thirty days after receipt of the fees for dog licenses and 172
tags, each town clerk shall deduct one dollar for each dog licensed, two 173
dollars for each kennel license issued and fifty cents for each 174
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replacement tag issued and pay the balance to the town treasurer or 175
other proper fiscal officer. Each town treasurer or fiscal officer, as the 176
case may be, shall keep a separate dog fund account of all fees received 177
from the town clerk, and all receipts from the municipal animal control 178
officer and expended by said officer under the provisions of this chapter, 179
and shall pay to the Commissioner of Agriculture, on September first of 180
each year, fifty per cent of all moneys received from the sale of licenses 181
prior to July first, or forty per cent of all such moneys if the town has 182
made a survey of unlicensed dogs in accordance with the provisions of 183
section 22-349, as amended by this act, and include with such payment 184
a statement of the number of licenses issued during such year. All 185
moneys received from licenses sold after June thirtieth and all moneys 186
received from the municipal animal control officer [and all license fees 187
returned to the town by the State Treasurer, at the request of the 188
commissioner,] shall be kept by the town treasurer or other fiscal officer 189
in the separate dog fund account. The town treasurer or other fiscal 190
officer shall, on the ensuing September first, send fifty per cent, or forty 191
per cent as the case may be, of all license fees in such account to the 192
commissioner, including any penalty fees collected pursuant to section 193
22-338, as amended by this act. All payments to the commissioner shall 194
be accompanied by an account thereof in a form prescribed by the 195
commissioner and a copy of such account shall be sent to the 196
commissioner. Upon the failure of any town treasurer or other fiscal 197
officer to pay any amount due pursuant to this section, or any portion 198
thereof, within forty-five days from its due date, the commissioner shall 199
add interest of one and one-fourth per cent per month or fraction thereof 200
on the amount unpaid per month or fraction thereof from the due date 201
of such payment to the date of payment and a penalty in the amount of 202
ten per cent of the amount unpaid or fifty dollars, whichever is greater. 203
All funds in the dog fund account, except such funds as are to be sent to 204
the commissioner, shall be used only for the compensation of municipal 205
animal control officers, license certificates, tags, the construction and 206
maintenance of dog pounds, the detention and care of impounded dogs 207
in accordance with section 22 -336, municipal animal control officer's 208
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equipment, dog supplies and such veterinary fees as are provided for 209
by law or regulations and shall not be used for any other purpose except 210
upon written approval of the commissioner. No fees paid into the 211
treasury of the town for tags or licenses for dogs shall be paid back to 212
the persons from whom they were collected. 213
(b) The Commissioner of Agriculture shall, not later than thirty days 214
after the Department of Agriculture's electronic receipt of fees for dog 215
licenses and tags, remit to each town clerk twenty -five per cent of each 216
license fee paid electronically to the department for each dog licensed 217
within such town. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall keep a 218
separate dog licensing fee account consisting of all fees received and 219
expended by the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of this 220
chapter. 221
Sec. 9. Section 22 -349 of the general statutes is repealed and the 222
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 223
The town clerk of each town and the Department of Agriculture shall, 224
annually, on or before July first, provide the municipal animal control 225
officer or regional animal control officer of each town with a copy of 226
each dog license issued in such town by such clerk or department. Such 227
municipal animal control officer or regional animal control officer shall 228
thereupon make diligent search for any unlicensed dog required to be 229
licensed by section 22 -338, as amended by this act . The commissioner 230
[shall] may adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of 231
chapter 54 establishing procedures for such search. If the owner of any 232
such unlicensed dog is not known, the municipal animal control officer 233
or regional animal control officer shall impound such dog. The owning 234
or keeping of an unlicensed or impounded dog and the failure to 235
purchase a license and pay the advertising and redemption fee within 236
one hundred and twenty hours from the time the dog was impounded 237
shall be an infraction. 238
Sec. 10. (NEW) ( Effective October 1, 2026 ) The Commissioner of 239
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Agriculture shall create an electronic dog licensing form to be used by 240
the Department of Agriculture to electronically process dog licenses 241
pursuant to chapter 435 of the general statutes. Such form shall be in 242
addition to the standard form created by the commissioner pursuant to 243
section 22 -380g of the general statutes. The commissioner shall 244
distribute information about such electronic form to veterinarians and 245
the operators of pet shops, pet grooming facilities, municipal pounds 246
and dog training facilities who voluntarily agree to make such 247
information available for the convenience of dog owners. 248
Sec. 11. Sections 22-348, 22-352 and 22-380l of the general statutes are 249
repealed. (Effective October 1, 2026) 250
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2026 22-338
Sec. 2 October 1, 2026 22-339
Sec. 3 October 1, 2026 22-339a
Sec. 4 October 1, 2026 22-339c(a)
Sec. 5 October 1, 2026 22-340
Sec. 6 October 1, 2026 22-341(a)
Sec. 7 October 1, 2026 22-345
Sec. 8 October 1, 2026 22-347
Sec. 9 October 1, 2026 22-349
Sec. 10 October 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 11 October 1, 2026 Repealer section
Statement of Purpose:
To authorize the issuance of online dog licenses from the Department of
Agriculture in addition to the existing town clerk process for issuing
such licenses, and to require dog owners to obtain licenses every three
years rather than annually.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]