Licensing
CHARLOTTESVILLE-- Owners must buy an annual license (making sure to fill out a dog license application and show that the dog's rabies vaccination is up to date). $4 for unsexed (spayed or neutered) dogs. $10 for unspayed and unneutered, or if you run a kennel and like to buy in bulk, you can get licenses for 20 dogs for $20 or 35 dogs for $50. Licenses expire December 31 of each year. Licenses can be purchased at City Hall or from the SPCA at 3355 Berkmar Drive, which can be reached at 973-5959.

ALBEMARLE-- $3 for spayed or neutered, $5 for fertile pets. Kennel tags cost $15 for 20 dogs or $25 for 50. Purchase at the Albemarle County Office Building, 401 McIntire Road (296-5851), the SPCA (973-5959), or from the Scottsville Town Administrator (286-2511).

Leash law

While control of your dog via voice command is sufficient in most areas of Charlottesville and Albemarle, certain subdivisions and places like the Downtown Mall and school property have tougher rules. And the parks-- see below-- are another story.

Dogs in parks
CHARLOTTESVILLE-- Late in 2001, City Council passed a controversial law requiring dogs to be on a leash and under control in all city parks (as well as at schools, cemeteries, and the Downtown Mall). Three exceptions: inside the fenced-in area at Azalea Park and-- curiously enough-- on certain stretches of the Rivanna Trail on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. This three-day exception to the rule has created some confusion, with many dog owners continuing to let their pups run free on verboten days and segments of the trail.

COUNTY-- Darden Towe Park, although jointly funded by the City, is a County park governed by County regulations. Dogs must be on leash and under control in Darden Towe except inside the fenced "off-leash" area located about 200 feet east of the picnic shelter. (The picnic shelter is at the north end of the upper parking lot.)

MONTICELLO-- Hey, some folks consider this a park! While Thomas Jefferson's home allows dogs on its grounds and at its Kemper Park, dogs are not allowed inside buildings, on the buses, or on its swanky Saunders Trail.

Poop Scoopin'
CHARLOTTESVILLE-- Unlike the County, the City has a law mandating the cleanup of dog feces-- and even provides plastic bag dispensers and containers in the parks to aid in the effort. Failure to scoop is a Class 4 misdemeanor.

Loose/stray dogs- If they're friendly, many people take them directly to the Charlottsville-Albemarle SPCA which adopted a no-kill policy when it moved into its new facilities a couple of years ago. Otherwise, you can call the dispatcher for Charlottesville, Albemarle and University Animal Control: 977-9041. Some prefer to take animals to the fellow no-kill shelter at the Fluvanna SPCA, where some volunteers have been known to drive animals as far away as Maine to find them a home. 591-0123

Dog-fighting-- As mentioned in this Hook cover story  and as evidenced in the much publicized legal saga of former starting NFL quarterback Michael Vick, the scourge of dog-fighting is very much a reality in Virginia. In January 2003, legislation banning breeding, training, or selling dogs for dog-fighting sponsored by area legislator Rob Bell was signed into law by the Governor. The Hook banned "free to good home" pet ads because dog-fighters reportedly use such ads to obtain "bait animals."

Charlottesville/Albemarle SPCA-- In addition to their no-kill shelter, the SPCA also runs a rummage sale store on Preston Avenue that helps raise funds and support the organization. 973-5959

Update

While a rural exception (for lots of five or more acres) to a recent Albemarle County ordinance regarding dog barking was not ended, some rules about dog barking have changed, the most important being that "audible noise" is the new standard under the county's rules, rather than barking that "disturbs the peace". The County's rule that consecutive dog barking lasting for 30 minutes with no stops longer than 5 minutes is still in place.

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