Animal Licensing

In the City of Moorpark, pet owners are required to license both their dogs and cats with Ventura County Animal Regulation. There are many benefits to licensing your cats and dogs both to the owners and the public. Listed below are a few of these benefits and some other facts you need to know about licensing your pets.

Licensing Benefits to Cat & Dog Owners

• A license identifies your cat or dog and allows you to be quickly reunited with them in case they ever get lost. Even indoor cats and dogs can get loose.
• License tags provide quick information that will unite you and your pet, without the special equipment required to detect microchip identification.
• Licensed cats and dogs are held much longer at animal shelters (10 days) than unlicensed animals, which must only be held for four days before being made available for adoption or destroyed. Unfortunately, many owners of unlicensed pets return from a vacation to find that their animal ran away from a caretaker and was either adopted or destroyed at a local animal shelter. If a cat or dog is wearing a license tag, County Animal Regulation staff will attempt to reach the owner of a licensed dog by mail, and telephone.
• A license ensures that cats and dogs are vaccinated against rabies, an always fatal disease.
• Owners of licensed animals receive a helpful reminder to revaccinate their pet prior to the license expiration date.
• Owners who license their cat or dog on time will save Court costs, fines and late fees.
• If a currently vaccinated cat or dog is exposed to a rabies positive animal, it must be quarantined for 30 days. However, if an animal’s vaccination has expired or is not valid, it must either be quarantined for 6 months or destroyed.
• Licensed animals are eligible for a spay neuter voucher from Ventura County Regulation that will pay $40 for the procedure on dogs and $20 on cats at your local vet.

Licensing Benefits to Public Health

• Rabies is a current threat to human and animal health. Cat and dog licensing lowers the overall cost and health risk by making certain that household pets are vaccinated and by providing revenue for prevention programs.
• Even “indoor” cats and dogs may become exposed to rabies, which is endemic in Ventura County. Bats, skunks and many other critters that coexist with you and your pets in this area may transmit rabies to your pet.

Obtain a Cat or Dog License

These items are required in order to obtain a cat or dog license:

• Current rabies vaccination certificate
• Spay or neuter certificate (for a discount license fee)
• The fee to license a new spayed or neutered cat or dog is $30 and $105 for a non-sterilized dog or cat.

Pets That Require a License

• Cats and dogs aged four months or older
• Cats and dogs in Moorpark thirty days or more
• Other common pets such as hamsters, birds or fish do not require a license
• Wild or exotic animals require special permits and licenses.

Licensing Locations

Most veterinarians in Moorpark and Ventura County sell cat and dog licenses. Pet licensing locations include:

• Arroyo Vista Veterinary Hospital
• Family Mason Animal Clinic
• Moorpark City Hall (Cash or check payment only for pet licenses)
• Moorpark Veterinary Hospital
• Ventura County Animal Regulation Department - Camarillo Main Shelter
• Ventura County Animal Regulation Department - Simi Holding Facility

For a complete list or if you have additional questions about licensing your pets, contact City of Moorpark Animal and Vector Control at 805-517-6267.