At the time of its demise, the dog licence cost the hefty sum of three shillings and sixpence (17.5 p), and it was abandoned because it cost more to administer than it raised. I doubt we'll see it again until a government sees a way to make a "profit" on it - so how much would it cost then?

Even "back in the day", it wasn't policed in any regular fashion - if Rover bit the postie, you might be asked for sight of a licence, but otherwise, it just gathered dust in an unopened drawer!

Eventually, it became an object of humour (Monty Python - "I'd like a licence for my fish, Eric"...) and it died the death.

Snorri

I think a dog licence would be pointless, as usual those that abide by the law will and those that wont wont and as these laws are usually to address those that wont it is pointless.
I'd far rather support a requirement of permanent identification for all dogs, with a requirement that all puppies/dogs sold/changing hands have to be permanently identified after a given date.
Dogs that are taken in as strays that do not have any permanenet identified should be done so immediately with the cost bourne by the owners should they come and get their dogs and if not then they are up for rehoming.
I think there should be a central database for recording this rather than the present situation where there are 4 or 5 different lists you have to contact.
Becky

My concern with anything that costs money (tax, licence ect) is it will impact on responsible but poor dog owners.
I also think if you have a cost per dog it will put people off rescueing dogs and fostering dogs, as keeping them will have an additional expense.

Also as others have said any law is only as good as the enforcment, which in reality isn't very good.

Adam

Hi, this is my first post and so sorry to be negative!

All my dogs are microchipped, I don't see why I should buy a license for my dogs at extra cost. I also think it is the start of the slippery slope, why should the RSPCA handle the database? they will use the info imo to make visits based on the information given.

Before you know it you will have to have your dogs neutered and vaccinated and this should be the owners choice. The evidence re cancer etc is conflicting as for control of population there is a very interesing article by Richard Allport in Dogs Today and the law in Sweden regarding neutering, they don't appear to have any population problem there.