Pet License

Pet License

The biggest benefit of registering a pet with the City of Evanston is the increased chance of pet owners being reunited with their dog or cat, should it become lost. Applying for the license also serves as a reminder to renew a pet’s annual rabies vaccination, which could save the pet’s life.

Payment for 2013 Animal Registration should be made by the end of 2012. The City of Evanston pet license, for cats and dogs, is issued on a fiscal year basis. By City Ordinance, all dogs and cats are required to have pet licenses. The annual cost is $10 if the pet is neutered or spayed and $15 if not altered.

Residents, who have rabies vaccination certificates on file with the city that are current through November 2013, shhould have received pre-printed forms mailed to them along with their vehicle sticker renewal forms that have an online registration number printed on it. This will allow those residents to register online here>>>

pet lic icon.png

For those who do not have current rabies vaccination certificates on file with the city or those pet owners who did not receive a form in the mail, application forms are available for download below or in the City Collector’s Office in the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center located at 2100 Ridge Ave. Pet owners are asked to provide all the requested information on the application form, particularly a copy of their pet’s rabies vaccination certificate, and return both parts of your application form and remittance; make any address changes directly on the form.

The completed application forms, along with the Rabies Certifications and payment, can either be mailed or brought to the City Collector’s Office at 2100 Ridge Ave., Evanston, IL 60201.

The biggest benefit of registering a pet with the City of Evanston is the increased chance of pet owners being reunited with their dog or cat, should it become lost. Applying for the license also serves as a reminder to renew a pet’s annual rabies vaccination, which could save the pet’s life. 

TERM: 1 year2013 pet lic.jpg

FEE: $10 neutered or spayed / $15 not altered

RENEWABLE: Yes

TRANSFERABLE:  No

CONTACT: Call the City Collector’s Office at 847/866-2926 for additional information about pet licenses.

APPLICATION: 2013 Animal Registration Form

NOTE: Whether applying by mail or in person at the Collector’s Office, you must provide us with a copy of your animal’s Rabies Certification.

Additional Pet Information

Dog Beach

For information on Evanston's Dog Beach and passes, click here>>>. The Dog Beach is located just north of the Church Street launch facility, where Church St. meets the lake.

Pooch Park

Pooch Park is a 2.7 acre park that is an off-leash fenced dog recreational facility. It is jointly operated by the City of Evanston and Skokie Park District. For more information, click here>>>.

Animal Control Bureau

As a part of the Evanston Police Department's Division of Strategic Services, the Animal Control Bureau handles requests and complaints from citizens dealing with domestic and wild animals, including birds and reptiles. It also counsels citizens on animal control problems and issues citations for violation of animal control ordinances. In addition, it apprehends and impounds stray animals and handles adoption of unwanted dogs and cats in conjunction with CARE (a local volunteer group). For more information, click here>>>.

Pet Leash and Clean-up Laws

Residents are reminded that not only must their dogs be leashed (Ord 9-4-7 of the City Code), but they also are required under the law to pick-up after them (Ord 9-4-12). 

City Code 9-4-7 requires that dogs must be leashed in public and they are not allowed to run loose in public parks or on the majority of the city’s beaches. If you wish to allow your dog to run off leash, you may purchase an annual membership to Pooch Park or the Evanston Dog Beach.

City Code 9-4-12 requires dog owners to pick-up their dog’s waste from public or private property and should have with them something with which to properly dispose of the waste. Dog waste can spread disease and it’s bad for the environment. Dog feces may contain various organisms and parasites such as E. coli, tapeworm, and roundworm. They can all make people really sick. Small children are especially vulnerable so it's really important to clean it up.

Community Animal Rescue Effort (C.A.R.E.)

CARE.jpgC.A.R.E. is an all volunteer organization that works in conjunction with Evanston's municipal Animal Shelter to find homes for the unwanted and abandoned animals that are brought to the shelter. Since our inception in 1987, C.A.R.E. has been responsible for the adoption of thousands of dogs and cats that would have otherwise been euthanized. C.A.R.E. provides medical treatment and conducts all adoptions for the shelter animals. For more information, click here>>>.