Help keep you and your dog safe

Being DogTown USA 2012 comes with some responsibility. Bend city code requires a dog to be on a leash at all times, unless it’s on the owners’ property or at a designated off-leash area. Owners found in violation of this ordinance may receive a $250 fine. Not sure if the area you like to take your dog to is a designated off-leash area? Check the Bend Parks and Recreation District website, bendparksandrec.org, for a complete list of parks and areas where your dog can roam freely.

In addition, all adult dogs (dogs that have a permanent set of canine teeth) are required to be licensed with Deschutes County per city code and state law. A license helps increase the chances of being reunited with your dog should it escape your home, as does a properly updated microchip. A Deschutes County dog license is not the same as a rabies tag issued by your veterinarian, although proof of rabies vaccination is required to obtain a dog license. The fine for dogs being unlicensed is $250. Contact Deschutes County Dog Licensing to learn more at deschutes.org.