Dog Licensing

Licensing Requirements

State Law requires that all dog owners license and vaccinate their pet against rabies. This helps control the spread of rabies and keep a complete record of Ashland's pet population to ensure the safety of the animals as well as the residents of Ashland. You may wish to review Chapter 87 of the Town's Bylaws for the regulations pertaining to dog licensing.

Dogs must be licensed each year. A license is valid for one calendar year from January 1 to December 31.

Licensing your dog online
You may license your dog online by clicking here. If we do not have a current rabies certificate on file, you will need to upload one. There is a convenience fee for using the online feature.  You can pay using your credit/debit card (2.95% or $1.00 minimum) or using your bank account and routing number ($0.50).  If you experience difficulties licensing your dog online, please contact City Hall Systems at (508) 381-5455 and they will be happy to assist you.

Fees

The annual license fee per dog is $15 for a spay/neutered dog with proof from a licensed veterinarian and $20 if the dog is intact. If you are 70 years of age or older, there is no fee to license your individual dog(s). If you operate a kennel the fee is dependent upon the number of dogs. The fee is not waived for a kennel license. If you do have a kennel, please contact the Animal Control Office at 508-881-0122 for a site visit as an inspection is required before a kennel license may be issued.

Multiple Dog Fees

  • 4 dogs $50
  • 5 to 10 dogs $100
  • More than 10 dogs $150

If you require a kennel license (4 or more dogs), please contact the Animal Control Officer:

Dona Walsh
508-881-0122

Failure to License

A $50 fine will be assessed for each dog licensed after April 15 of each year. This is added to the fee of the dog license. This is per the Massachusetts General Law Chapter 140, Section 141 and the Ashland Town Bylaws Chapter 87-21. In addition, a court appearance may be necessary for those dog owners who further neglect to license their dogs.

Rabies Certification

All veterinarians in Massachusetts provide the dog owner with a certificate of inoculation and a tag to affix to the dog's collar upon vaccination. Local veterinarians may vaccinate animals as early as three months, but must vaccinate no later than six months. Check with your veterinarian if you cannot locate a current rabies certificate for your dog. You are required to provide a copy of a valid Massachusetts Rabies Certificate.

Ownership Notification

You must notify the Town Clerk if the dog or its owner moves out of town or if the dog passes on. If you fail to let us know, we have to assume the dog is still with you, and that you simply have not licensed the animal.

Obtaining a License

First, obtain and completely fill out an Application for Annual Dog License (PDF). Dog license applications are also included with the annual town census. Send or bring in the completed application, a current rabies certificate for each dog to be licensed, and a check or money order for the appropriate amount payable to the Town of Ashland. 

If you are mailing your information, mail the application, copies of rabies certificates and payment to:

The Town of Ashland
Office of the Town Clerk
101 Main Street
Ashland, MA 01721

After we process your application we will mail your license(s) and dog tag(s) to you. Please do not mail cash. Applications that are not completely filled out or are missing information or appropriate payment will not be processed.