Department of Agriculture warns against fraudulent dog license websites
The state Department of Agriculture鈥檚 Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement warned dog owners planning to renew or purchase licenses that a fraudulent website is selling dog licenses online.
鈥淭he Department of Agriculture works with Pennsylvania鈥檚 county treasurers for the sale of dog licenses,鈥� said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. 鈥淭he best way to ensure that you鈥檙e completing an official transaction is to start on licenseyourdogpa.pa.gov.鈥�
Most recently, the department has identified www.padoglicense.online as selling fake Pennsylvania dog licenses and paying search engines to have their scam appear at the top of search results pages for common terms, like 鈥淧ennsylvania dog license鈥� or 鈥渞enew PA dog license.鈥�
A check of the website identified by the Department of Agriculture as fake posted, in answer to the question, When will I get my license tag? a response about fishing and a waterways conservation officer.
The agriculture department asks dog owners that when in doubt to call the county treasurer鈥檚 office where they live.
The websites for treasurers offices in Fayette and Greene counties have links to www.licenseyourdogpa.pa.gov. Fayette County鈥檚 site also has links to both the annual and lifetime dog license applications that can be printed out and brought into office at 61 E. Main Street, Uniontown.
Dog owners in Greene County would go to 93 East High St., Waynesburg, to purchase a license.
The Washington County website for the treasurer鈥檚 office has a form people can print and fill out, but for lifetime licenses for a microchipped pet or a dog with a tatooed serial number, it must be mailed or brought to the Courthouse Square office building with payment because the lifetime license requires an accompanying document with a veterinarian鈥檚 signature.
Annual licenses can be purchased through the Washington County treasurer鈥檚 website by clicking 鈥渙nline payments.鈥�
Throughout the state, all dogs older than three months are required to be be licensed, which helps identify the owners of lost pets. The fees collected through dog licensing are used to fund state dog wardens.
Those who have a concern about a third-party website can contact the PA Attorney General Bureau of Consumer Protection at 1-800-441-2555.