Russell Redding, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture | Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture
Annual dog license purchases for 2026 in Pennsylvania will be available starting December 1, according to an announcement from Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. The department emphasized that licensing is a legal requirement for all dog owners in the state and that proceeds from license sales support the work of dog wardens who are responsible for protecting both dogs and communities.
Secretary Redding was joined by Montgomery County Treasury officials as well as members of the Montgomery County 4-H Speedy Paws Dog Agility Club to highlight the importance of dog licensing. The event aimed to remind residents that licensing helps improve safety and health standards for dogs in kennels and shelters, while also supporting efforts to manage stray and dangerous dogs.
"Pennsylvanians have made it clear that they expect dog owners, kennels, breeders, and shelters to be held to high standards," said Secretary Russell Redding. "They want their communities to be safe from stray and dangerous dogs. They want owners to be held responsible when their dog attacks, and they want unscrupulous breeders to be shut down. Shapiro Administration updates to state law have put more dog wardens in our communities, made it easier for people buying a dog to know where it came from, streamlined licensing for dog owners and for kennel businesses, and clarified requirements for boarding kennel owners. Governor Josh Shapiro, along with our General Assembly, our hardworking Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement staff, and Pennsylvania County Treasurers are working together to make Pennsylvania a safer, healthier place for dogs and for our communities."
Other speakers at the event included Chris Davis, Deputy Secretary for Plant Industry and Consumer Protection; Montgomery County First Deputy Treasurer Bill Caldwell; as well as canine athletes with their handlers.
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