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Allegheny County councilor asks council to modernize city dog-licensing process
Summary
During public comment, Allegheny County Council member Jordan Botta urged Pittsburgh City Council to create a joint working group with the county to modernize dog licensing, noting the city still requires mailed paper forms and checks while the county accepts online payments.
Jordan Botta, an Allegheny County Council member, used public comment at the June 24 Pittsburgh City Council meeting to ask the city to modernize its dog-licensing system and to form a joint working group between the City and Allegheny County to harmonize licensing portals.
Botta said the current City of Pittsburgh process requires residents to "print out a form and mail in a physical check or money order to get a dog license," a requirement he described as obsolete and burdensome for seniors and younger residents who do not have printers or checkbooks.
"We live in an age where we can file taxes, renew driver's licenses, and register to vote online. Yet to license a dog in the city of Pittsburgh, we still expect residents to have access to a printer and a checkbook," Botta said. He proposed a focused, collaborative working group between Allegheny County and the city to evaluate system harmonization, secure digital payment, mobile-friendly interfaces and equitable access.
Botta framed the change as a public-safety and animal-welfare improvement that would increase licensing compliance, help return lost pets to owners, and ensure continued revenue for shelters and enforcement agencies. He said the county already offers an online portal that accepts digital payments and that a city–county partnership could make licensing "secure, and equitable."
Council members did not announce a formal next step on the floor; Botta said he looked forward to working with city staff and council members on a joint effort.
Ending: The suggestion to form a joint working group was presented as a collaborative ask from an adjacent elected official; any formal action by council or staff would be recorded on a future agenda or in committee records if the council decides to pursue harmonization.
