Tucker, a 13-year-old black lab with a distinctive skill, received the first dog license of 2018 at the Auditor’s Office. Dog tags will be available for all dogs starting November 15 at eight San Juan County locations.

Tucker recently retired from his job with Conservation Canines, a squad of dogs trained to sniff out animal fecal samples. Tucker’s specialty, detecting Orca poop, helps whale researchers track the health and sojourns of our resident and transient Orca populations. Tucker’s work has been profiled in prominent magazines and newspapers, including BBC Natural World, Smithsonian Magazine, and the New York Times.

All dogs in San Juan County and the Town of Friday Harbor are required to be licensed yearly. Licensing fees have increased for the 2018 licensing year. Spayed or neutered dog licenses are increasing to $15, and “natural” dogs are increasing to $40. Dogs not licensed by March 31 are subject to a $10 late fee. Licensing fee revenue in excess of program costs is distributed to the local animal protection societies for impound services.

For an extra $5, owners can add a photo of their dogs to our database. Photos help the local shelters identify lost dogs and return them to their owners.

As always, dog licenses are available at the following San Juan County vendors:

San Juan Island: Animal Protection Society Auditor’s Office, San Juan County Courthouse Harbor Veterinary Clinic

Orcas Island: Animal Protection Society Eastsound Kennels Pawki’s For Pets

Lopez Island: Ark Veterinary Clinic Sunset Builders

For more information, call the Auditor’s office at (360) 378-2161.