Owners of dogs four months or older are required to obtain a dog license every year.

The licensing period begins April 1 and ends March 31 of the following year. Licenses are sold year round, with new licenses usually available for purchase in the City Clerk's Office in March of the new licensing year.

Licenses for the 2013 licensing period are now available.

Requirements:

• Valid veterinarian's certicate, indicating unexpired rabies vaccination and

        current Fall River address

• $15 fee for unneutered male and unspayed female dogs
• $10 fee for neutered male and spayed female dogs, with veterinarian's certificate

Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140, Section 139, any dog owner 70 years of age or older is entitled to a free license with proof of age.

Licenses may be acquired in person Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or through the mail.

To ensure timely processing of mailed in requests, please:

• Include check payable to the City of Fall River with exact license fee
• Mail request to City Clerk, One Government Center, Fall River, MA 02722

Leash Law

According to Section 6-6 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Fall River, all dogs must be kept under restraint, as defined in this chapter, including all dogs on any public properties including parks, playgrounds, or cemeteries.

Every owner or keeper of a dog is responsible to prevent their dog from becoming a public nuisance, such as trespassing upon public or private property and deposit feces thereon, unless said feces are immediately removed by the owner or keeper of said dog.

Dog owners shall be subject to all fines and penalties as set forth in Section 6-12 of the Ordinances of the City of Fall River.

Please pick up after your dog - It's the Law