March 23, 2016

This 1896 certificate, documenting the legal licensing of a black and white dog named Sport, gives us a glimpse into the lives of Hennepin County dogs 120 years ago.

Highlights from the City’s ordinance:

  • All “dog or animal of the dog kind” required a license; male dogs cost the owner $1 per year, female dogs $3.
  • The City Clerk was to provide owners with a metal dog tag, with costs to be capped at five cents each per tag.
  • The City Clerk transferred money each month to the Police Department Relief Association; they in turn used the funds to operate the city pound.
  • The mayor had the right, following three days of public notice, to mandate that all dogs running at large in the city be muzzled.

When an unfortunate dog did end up at the pound, they had a grace period of at least three days, and pound staff were to be kept with “kind treatment and sufficient food and water for their comfort.”

To learn more about the history of pets in Hennepin County, please visit Hennepin County Wags its Tail: 150 Years of People and their Pets, an exhibition opening March 26.