Anoka No Longer Requiring Pet Licenses, Rabies Shots

ANOKA, Minn. (WCCO) - The City of Anoka no longer requires pets to be licensed or get a rabies shot.

In a city with a population of 17,500, just 172 pets were registered, meaning the vast majority were already not following the recently-removed law.

Originally, the law was put in place to help lost dogs get home, and not not let the impound lot fill up.

"It had good intentions, it just kind of failed in application, because not enough people complied," said Devon Thomas Treadwell, who cofounded The Retrievers, a large nonprofit that finds lost dogs across Minnesota.

Pet licenses have become antiquated largely because of social media's role in finding lost animals.

"We get a lot of positive responses and we usually end up placing 99% of our pets," said city councilmember Erik Skogquist.

Pets are still required to have a form of identification.

The city council decided to drop the requirement for pets to get their rabies vaccine because the disease is so rare in Minnesota. But there's still a risk of losing your dog if they don't have their shots and bite someone.

Ramsey County and the City of St. Michael are among other places in Minnesota to not require pet licenses.