CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Clarion County Commissioners Ted Tharan and Wayne Brosius went to the dogs on Tuesday morning at their workshop session and planned to proclaim December 2019 as Dog License Awareness Month.
“The awareness day is to encourage people to get their dog licenses because it funds the dog wardens,” explained Clarion County Treasurer Tom McConnell. “They are the ones who police the kennels and any kind of dog bites or dangerous dogs. We actually have a lot of calls. My phone number and name are on the back of the dog tags. A lot of times people call who found a stray dog, and we can give them the owner’s phone number, so they can give it back. With my name being on there, a lot of people find my name and my treasurer’s Facebook page on the weekends.
“A couple of weeks ago I got a call at 2:00 a.m. from someone who found a dog, and they looked up my name on Facebook, and they found my cell number so they called me. I can look up the tag number on my cell phone and could give them the phone number.”
Asked why the county treasurer is responsible for dog licenses, McConnell said that since they made dog licenses a law, it’s always been handled by the county treasurer’s office for some reason.
Approximately 6,600 dog license were issued this year in Clarion County. The Department of Agriculture estimates Clarion County does pretty good. I think it’s like 85 percent licensure which is good. Across the state it’s under 60 percent are licensed.
A dog warden for Clarion County and Forest County was recently hired. Before that, there was only one dog warden between Clarion and Armstrong Counties.
“It’s a decent state job and pays about $35,000.00 with state benefits, and it’s 8 to 5 every day,” McConnell.
Clarion County residents may begin purchasing dog licenses for 2020 in December of this year. Dog Licenses must be purchased by January 1, 2020 for dogs three months of age and up.
Licenses can be purchased at the County Treasurer’s office, in person or by mail starting December 1. The application can be downloaded from the Treasurer’s page on the county website: www.co.clarion.pa.us. Please send the renewal card or completed application and check or money order to Tom McConnell, Treasurer, 330 Main Street, Room 110, Clarion, Pa 16214.
Purchases can be also made at www.padoglicense.com by choosing Clarion County and paying with a credit or debit card. There is a $2.00 fee for this service.
Additionally, licenses can be purchased at:
- RMS Furniture, New Bethlehem
- Sligo Rec Center, Sligo
- Lander’s Store, Lucinda
- Knox Country Farm Supply Inc., Knox
- Steiner’s Outdoors & More, East Brady
- Rocky Acres Kennel, Clarion
- Tri-County Pet Rescue, Shippenville
- Fryburg Old Treasure Depot, Fryburg
- Doggie Bole, Rimersburg
- Strattanville Borough Office, Strattanville
Prices are $8.50 for male or female, $6.50 for neutered or spayed, and there is a $2.00 discount for senior citizens and disabled applicants. There are also lifetime licenses available at the Treasurer’s Office only.
If you have any questions call 814-226-1113 or email tjmcconnell@co.clarion.pa.us or call the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement at 717-787-3062.
In other items considered for next Wednesday’s official meeting at 10:00 a.m. included the following:
- A letter of support for the nomination of a Pennsylvania historical museum commission historical marker commemorating the Parkers Landing Petroglyph site located along the Allegheny River in Perry Township of Clarion County.
Kenneth Burkett, president of the Jefferson County History Center, requested the letter of support, noting that the location is the first archaeological site recorded within the county. It is the best-preserved example of a Native American rock art right within the upper Allegheny River basin.
“It is an important resource to our understanding of the prehistoric Native American Culture that once inhabited this region,” wrote Burkett.
The marker would be placed along Route 368 sometime during 2020 if approved.
- Denny Logue will move to move into the position of Emergency Management Coordinator effective December 1, replacing retiring Randall Stahlman. The position would be full time, non-exempt, 35 hours per week with an annual salary of $33,000.
- The Hotel Tax would fund printing and distribution of the Exit 62 and Foxburg rack cards through Clarion Printing Litho to be distributed by PA on Display for 10 bins for six months. The Hotel Tax would also fund printing and distribution of the Clarion County Visitor’s Brochure through Clarion Printing Litho to be distributed by PA on Display for 10 bins for six months.
- Approve reappointments for the Board of Assessment Appeals, including Mary Louise Logue, Sal Mazzocchi, and Eugene Lerch with terms from 1/1/2020 to 12/31/2023.
