The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has approved a fee increase for Animal Care & Control services effective July 1, 2008. The fee increase was deemed necessary during the budget process for fiscal year 2009 to help offset costs for two new Animal Care & Control staff positions.

Beginning July 1, the cost for a Loudoun County Dog License will be $10.00 annually regardless of the spay/neuter status of the dog. Animal Care & Control Director Thomas Koenig noted that, "licensing fees are an essential source of revenue to allow Animal Control to provide a high level of service to Loudoun County citizens."

Adoption fees will also be changing on July 1. To clarify the overall fee for adopting animals, a separate spay/neuter fee will be charged for dogs and cats requiring the surgery. By law, all dogs and cats that have not previously been altered are spayed or neutered prior to going home with their adopter. "While the cost to adopters for spaying/neutering their new pets is increasing, the Department is still subsidizing a significant portion of the overall cost for the surgery," noted Director Koenig. "It is also important for citizens and potential adopters to understand that the cost of providing for the care and welfare of animals at the Shelter has risen every year, while this is the first increase in fees since 2002."

To help encourage the adoption of older pets, the Department will continue to offer a discounted adoption fee for members of its "Gray Whiskers Club," which are cats and dogs age 7 years or older.

A complete list of new fees, including fees for boarding and impoundment, is listed below:

LICENSE FEE
All Dogs- $10

ADOPTION FEE - DOGS*
Dogs under 7 years of age- $50
Dogs age 7 years and over- $25

SPAY/NEUTER FEE ADOPTED DOGS*
Male Dogs- $65
Female Dogs- $75

ADOPTION FEE - CATS*
Cats under 7 years of age- $20
Cats age 7 years and over- $10

SPAY/NEUTER FEE ADOPTED CATS*
Male Cats- $50
Female Cats- $60

*Adoption and spay/neuter fees are now listed separately. These must be added together (when necessary) to determine the total fee to adopt the animal.

ADOPTION FEE - OTHER
Exotic Reptiles- $30
Ferrets- $30
Exotic Mammals- $30

ADOPTION FEE LIVESTOCK
51 to 150 lbs- $50
151 to 500 lbs- $100
501 or more lbs- $200

KENNEL LICENSE FEE
Up to 20 dogs- $40

IMPOUNDMENT FEE
First Impoundment- $35
Quarantine Impoundment- $50
Any Additional Impoundment- $75

BOARDING FEES (PER DAY)
Livestock under 50 lbs- $5
Livestock- $25
Reptile and Exotic Animals -$10
Dangerous Dogs; Potentially Dangerous Dogs & Dogs Confined for Rabies- $30

The Loudoun County Department of Animal Care & Control is located at 39820 Charles Town Pike, Waterford, VA 20197. Department information can be found at www.loudoun.gov/animals.