Des Moines to expand pet licensing with DocuPet contract to fund animal care services

City managers and public safety staff told the Des Moines City Council May 22 that the city has entered a contract with DocuPet, a third‑party pet licensing vendor, to increase pet licensing compliance and to earmark new licensing revenue for animal care services.

City Manager Catherine Caffrey told council the city has seen declines in animal control service capacity after budget reductions and wants to use licensing revenue to help restore services described in the city’s materials as “Burien Cares” funding for animal control. Staff said the new vendor will administer licensing online and with a mobile app, provide management tools and canvassing maps, and offer marketing materials the city can use to drive compliance.

DocuPet representatives described the company’s service model: DocuPet provides a cloud‑based licensing portal, canvassing and GIS tools for targeted outreach, and marketing support. DocuPet said it serves 260 jurisdictions in North America, recently launched in several Washington jurisdictions (Whatcom, Everett, Bothell, Yakima Sheriff’s Office, and others) and Maricopa County in Arizona, and that a DocuPet program called “HomeSafe” and a national registry assist in reuniting lost pets. Company representatives said they do not charge an ongoing software fee to the city for basic licensing…