by Barry Dennis

Created on: December 20, 2009   Last Updated: December 21, 2009

License pets... or Owners...or Both?

According to the various animal associations and U.S. government figures, there are 61,000,000 dogs, 70,000,000 cats, and millions of birds, hamsters, horses, mice, rats, snakes, lizards, tigers, and other pets in the U.S.

 If a free-market, capitalist society offers rights of ownership to it's citizens, which apply to everything from homes to cars, to pets, why not  re- the pet ownership, licensing and responsibility laws to make them an integral part of our free-market system?Tthe objective would be reducing rampant cruelty, irresponsible pet ownership and lack of care?  Maybe we are doing it backwards.  Take a minute and watch "Animal Cops" on the Animal Planet channel. The myriad ways that people mistreat animals through intent or ignorance is creepy.

 If we license the right to own a pet, in addition to and preceding the right to obtain the actual animal, and make that license commensurate with the attendant responsibility and incidents of ownership, including insurance, might we have a better system? The point of licensing the prospective animal owner prior to the act of ownership is to establish the prospective owner's right and qualifications to participate in the process. The License would include a Sworn Declaration of Acceptance of Personal Responsibility, Proof of Insurance, and a written list of Requirements for Animal Management on a continuing basis; shots, checkups, housing and feeding, things that ignorance and indifference allow to be overlooked without specific enforcement attention and consequences. Convicted felons wouldn't be eligible, nor would those previously convicted of animal offenses. To prevent offenders from using family members or friends as "fronts," an address and Owner previously convicted would be ineligible as well. Those caught "fronting" for ineligible license applicants would themselves be barred, and guilty of a misdemeanor, subject to fines and jail time.

And, more importantly, wouldn't the licensing process establish standards of care and community responsibility, which would allow us to hold owners responsible for consequences? In a free society, rights are supposed to be mutually balanced with the responsibility to care for and protect those rights, along with the concept of respecting the rights of your fellow citizens. 
Animal Owner licensing is commensurate with the structure of a free society, including "user fees"

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