City Council Agenda Report
June 17, 2025
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Jana Stuard, Director of Finance/City Treasurer
Jennifer Hernandez, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT: ORDINANCE NO. 25-1757 - AMENDING NORWALK MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 6.16.030 AND 6.16.040 TO UPDATE RENEWAL TERMS FOR DOG
LICENSES
Background:
The Finance Department annually administers the City’s Dog Licensing Program following the process outlined in Norwalk Municipal Code (NMC) §6.16.030 which sets forth the license term for dog licenses. Currently, the renewal term occurs on a fixed date of July 1 st of each year, regardless of the original date of registration. This has presented logistical and administrative challenges to both residents and staff including proration confusion, overlapping renewal periods, and inconvenient timing for pet owners.
In 2025, the City partnered with DocuPet, a modern online pet license registration software designed with local governments in mind, to implement the system in Norwalk. DocuPet provides a user-friendly platform that allows residents to register and renew their pet licenses from the comfort of their homes. The platform supports new registrations, ownership transfers and renewals, streamlining the entire process. Additional services provided by DocuPet, at no cost to residents, include a Home Safe reunification tool as well as a free standard dog tag for first- time licensees.
With the implementation of DocuPet, the City could modernize its approach for dog license registrations and renewals in a manner that is efficient, timely, and accessible. Another key benefit of implementation of the new system is the ability to switch from a fixed annual renewal date of July 1st to a rolling 12-month renewal period based on the date of license issuance.
This would ultimately allow pet owners to register at any time of the year and maintain a valid pet license for 365 days, as opposed to the current restriction of July 1st annually. This provides
City Council June 17, 2025
Ordinance No. 25-1757 – Amending the Norwalk Municipal
Code regarding Dog License Renewal Terms
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a fairer and more intuitive system for pet owners, eliminates the need for proration or partial year charges, distributes license renewals more evenly throughout the year and reduces the administrative burden on both residents and staff. To ensure this new renewal process maintains compliance with the Norwalk Municipal Code, an amendment to NMC §6.16.030 is required to remove the July 1st license term.
In order to encourage and promote timely renewals, while also providing flexibility for residents, the late penalty for overdue registrations will remain capped at 50% of the dog license fee as listed in the approved User Fee Schedule adopted on April 1, 2025, however the late penalty will now be assessed on a tiered schedule based on the duration the license remains overdue as listed in Table 1 below:
Table 1: Revised Pet License Penalty Schedule
Late Fee
License Type 31-60 Days
Past Due
61-90 Days
Past Due
Over 90 Days
Past Due
Altered Dog $5.00 $10.00 $15.00
Altered Dog (Senior Rate) $2.50 $5.00 $7.50
Unaltered Dog $10.00 $20.00 $30.00
Unaltered Dog (Senior Rate) $5.00 $10.00 $15.00
Altered Dog indicates if the dog has been spayed/neutered Historically, and in conformance with NMC §6.13.040, a penalty fee, regardless of if 31 days overdue, or 90 days, would require the pet owner to pay, in a lumpsum, the pet license fee and 50% of the cost of the pet license as a penalty. This new structure will incentivize prompt renewals and allow residents to avoid the full penalty fee if action is taken within the early stages of delinquency. To ensure this is clearly defined and in conformance with the NMC, an amendment to NMC §6.16.040 is also required to remove the lumpsum penalty fee of 50% of the pet license cost.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact with the recommended action.
Citizens Advised:
N/A
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
The recommended actions will further the City’s 2023 Strategic Plan Goal 3 Create and Sustain a Resilient and Economically Prosperous City.
City Council June 17, 2025
Ordinance No. 25-1757 – Amending the Norwalk Municipal
Code regarding Dog License Renewal Terms
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Recommended Action:
Staff recommends City Council to introduce by title only Ordinance No. 25-1757, AN
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF NORWALK AMENDING NORWALK MUNICIPAL CODE SECTIONS 6.16.030 AND 6.16.040 TO UPDATE RENEWAL TERMS FOR DOG LICENSES, and schedule for adoption.
Attachments:
Ordinance No. 25-1757