Common Questions

Please choose the option that best describes the notice you received:

There may be several reasons why you received a bill when you have a current license. We're happy to help with your account information - please fill out this form to begin the process.

We will mail your tag within 10 business days from the day we receive your completed license application and payment. Please allow an additional 3-5 business days to receive your tag in the mail. If we have not received correct payment or required documentation, you will be notified via mail and the processing of your license will be delayed.

You may obtain a replacement tag by sending a check or money order in the amount of $4.00 payable to "City of Albuquerque Animal Services" to the mailing address below. Please include a copy of your license receipt or a note to designate the pet for which you are purchasing a replacement tag.

City of Albuquerque Animal Licensing
C/O PetData
PO Box 141929
Irving, TX 75014-1929

City of Albuquerque license tags can not be transferred to a new owner or a different pet. A new license must be purchased.

A refund may be available if a duplicate payment was made for your license. To request a refund, please send your request in writing or via email to Customer Service. Be sure to include the pet’s current license tag number if it is available, and as much information as possible regarding your payments and where the payments were made.

Animal Licenses will expire one year from the date of rabies vaccination or anniversary of the rabies vaccination in the case of a three-year vaccination.

East Shelter
8920 Lomas Blvd, NE
Albuquerque, NM 87112

West Shelter
11800 Sunset Gardens Rd, SW
Albuquerque, NM  87105

Directions and Shelter Hours

To report stray animals or for animal control questions unrelated to licensing, please call 505-768-1975.

If the pet that you have found is wearing a City of Albuquerque license tag, please enter the tag number in the tag search box above. If you need assistance, you may call our office at 1-866-364-8610.

If an Animal Control Officer finds your pet, and your pet is wearing a current license tag on its collar, Animal Services will try to contact you. If another citizen finds your pet with its license tag, they may use the tag number to contact you through our online tag search or by calling the phone number on the license tag.

If your pet has been lost, Animal Services recommends that you visit the City shelters or look online at www.cabq.gov/pets/ to look for your pet.

The primary reason is to prevent the spreading of rabies. Rabies is a constant health threat, and rabies vaccinations are good for your pet’s health. Did you know that rabies is 100% fatal for humans if not treated properly? Animal licensing helps Animal Services monitor compliance with local and state rabies vaccination laws. 

Licensing also helps Animal Services identify family pets, should an animal become lost.  The fees from licensing are used to care for animals and investigate complaints about stray animals, among other services.  Other goals of animal licensing are to promote responsible pet ownership and to reduce the tragedies associated with lost pets and pet overpopulation.

Licensing Ordinance

All dogs, cats and ferrets 3 months of age and older must be vaccinated for rabies and licensed annually with the City of Albuquerque.

View the complete Albuquerque ordinance

Due Date

Payment for your license is due within 60 days of your pet’s vaccination date or prior license expiration date. A late fee of $15.00 is added if your license has not been purchased within this time.

If you are licensing for the first time, you must purchase a license within 30 days of obtaining a dog or cat over the age of 3 months or within 30 days of establishing residence in the City of Albuquerque.

License Term

Animal Licenses will expire one year from the date of rabies vaccination or anniversary of the rabies vaccination in the case of a three-year vaccination.

The City of Albuquerque chose to privatize animal licensing in 2005 to promote animal licensing, to increase the cost-effectiveness of the program, and to provide additional services to its citizens.

PetData, Inc., headquartered in Farmers Branch, Texas, provides animal licensing services for municipalities and animal welfare agencies throughout the United States. The company, a member of the National Animal Control Association, has been in business since 1993. PetData’s goals are to increase animal licensing, to reduce animal euthanasia, to educate the community, and to help solve animal control problems.

We at PetData consider the privacy of our clients to be of paramount importance. PetData has never sold information or data to any third-party. PetData does not use any personally identifiable data collected for any purpose other than those as determined by client contracts.

We do not respond to requests for information from non-client individuals or corporations, nor do we release information without the express written consent of our client agencies. Groups or individuals requesting licensing data should contact the individual client's animal services agency director as we release data only to our contracted client.