By Finn Courtney

WESTPORT — While your dog may be running your household, they cannot run the town as dogs’ licenses need to be licensed for any dog who is six months old or older, along with a required vaccination against rabies.

Yearlong licenses are now available all throughout this year’s dog licensing month, according to Town Clerk Jeffrey Dunkerton. These licenses cover the time period from July 1 of this year up through June 30, 2026 and can be registered online through the Town Clerk’s department and the Westport Online Services Portal.

While these online applications are encouraged by the Town Clerk’s office, they will also accept paper applications with a check payment either dropped off by a walk-in and handled in-person or sent in the mail along with a copy of the dog’s current rabies certificate, payment and self-addressed stamped envelope to: Westport Town Clerk, 110 Myrtle Avenue, Westport, CT 06881.

Dog license fees are $8 for neutered male or spayed female and an increased fee of $19 for non-neutered male or non-spayed female dogs, with additional fees for online applications and penalty fees if renewed past the end of June.

Any non-licensed dog or dog not wearing the required dog tag on its collar will be fined for $75 after the end of June.

For more information regarding the online application for a dog’s license, click here or you can call the Town Clerk’s office with any pertinent questions at 203-341-1110.

Westport native Finn Courtney is a sophomore communications and political science major at Villanova University and co-editor of the university’s newspaper, The Villanovan. He is a summer intern at Westport Journal.