Myrtle Beach gets rid of annual pet fee

Pet owners no longer have to pay Myrtle Beach annually to register their dogs and cats, though very few residents followed the law and City Council members said several residents didn’t even know the rule existed.

Starting last month, Myrtle Beach residents who own dogs and cats no longer have to pay the $5 annual fee for their spayed or neutered pets. Owners of pets that had not been spayed or neutered were required to pay $20 per year for a city pet license.

Pets are required to wear tags showing that the animal’s vaccinations are current, as well as a tag identifying the pet’s owner.

All money that has been collected through the licensing fees – $1,650 in the 2014-2015 fiscal year – went to the Grand Strand Humane Society for shelter operations. The law has been on the books since at least 2000.

But City Manager John Pedersen said the amount of money collected was marginal.

“I agree that it is primarily a nuisance to pet owners and that enforcement is not a productive use of the time of our animal control officers,” he said.

Pedersen said 284 animals were licensed in the city as of March 24. City Council members said it was clear the law wasn’t being followed and it was difficult to enforce because there are many more dogs and cats living in Myrtle Beach than 284.

Pedersen recommended that City Council increase its grant to the Humane Society by $2,000 in fiscal year 2015-2016, which begins July 1. During the city’s budget retreat last month, council discussed awarding the Humane Society $230,000. The grant amount will be set when the city adopts its annual budget sometime before June 30.

Councilman Mike Lowder raised the issue during a meeting earlier this year saying his neighbor – who did not know licensing was required – was stopped by animal control while walking his dog and asked if the animal had been registered. When animal control learned the pet was not registered, the owner was cited a fine.

“My dogs don’t wear a collar,” Lowder said. “My dogs don’t leave the home. I went and got a city license just to say that I had one, which was the biggest waste of money in my life.”

Council members argued that requiring pet and owner identification on a collar also likely would not be a law that is followed.

“It’s going to be the same situation, though, with registering the pets,” Lowder said. “More people aren’t going to do it than are.”

This story was originally published May 12, 2015 at 8:21 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach gets rid of annual pet fee."