Richland County approves $2 increase to dog license fee amid shelter cost pressures

The Richland County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 21, 2025 approved a $2 increase in the county dog license fee for the 2026 season, raising the fee to $20. The board said the increase is intended to help offset rising costs at the county shelter.

Missy Howton, the county dog warden, told commissioners that shelter expenses have risen sharply: a spay/neuter line rose by about $12,000 this year, and she said the shelter’s water bill jumped from about $75 to roughly $600–$1,200 a month after the county changed meters. Howton also said intake has grown: the shelter handled about 720 dogs in 2020 and more than 1,000 in 2024, an increase she described as roughly 50% over that period.

Commissioners noted the license fee had not increased since 2015, when it moved from $16 to $18, and said a $2 rise is modest given current costs. The board estimated the $2 increase would generate approximately $37,380 in additional revenue; the county also recorded that the dog warden operation still projects running at a deficit even after the increase. "We don't want to necessarily make it more difficult for people to be dog owners, but also the license fee is supposed to help the dog wardens off," Howton said.

Commissioner Rivera moved to approve the increase; the motion passed with the board voting yes (recorded as Commissioners Barrow, Mears and Banks voting in favor). The board included the change in a resolution and approved it for the 2026 licensing season.

The meeting record shows the county will continue to rely on volunteers and general-fund support to keep the shelter operating; no additional dedicated funding or offset was adopted at the meeting.