MATTAWA — Mattawa City Council members have increased dog license and dog impound fees as part of a review of the city’s fee schedule.

“The current (fees) are not covering our costs,” Public Works Director Juan Ledezma said prior to the vote.

Dog owners will be charged $25 per dog for the yearly license. Previously dog owners had been charged $10 per dog. The fee for capturing a stray dog was increased to $30 and the impound fee was increased to $15 per day. Previously the capture fee was $15 and dog owners were charged a $6 per day impound fee.

Council members approved the new fees during the July 21 meeting. During the related discussion, Council Member Brian Beghout asked whether the fees prior to the increase covered the city’s costs.

That’s when Ledezma said they did not.

The fees went into effect July 22, and dog owners buying new licenses will pay the $25 fee. For residents who have already licensed their dogs for 2022, the new license fee goes into effect January 1.

Council Member Alex Heredia suggested two different fees, charging more for dogs that hadn’t been spayed or neutered.

“I feel like that will prevent the production of more dogs,” Heredia said.

However, Council Member Fabiola Hernandez said raising the yearly fee too high might cause some dog owners to skip getting a license altogether.

“January is when we have to pay (licensing fees), and a lot of people don’t have a job,” Hernandez said. “January is a hard month.”

Council Member Silvia Barajas said an extra charge for non-neutered or spayed dogs wouldn’t solve the problem of irresponsible dog owners who are as likely to care about spaying and neutering their animals as they are to license them.

“There are two Huskies that run around my neighborhood,” Barjas said. “I don’t know if they’re neutered or non-neutered, but I doubt those dogs are registered.”

Cheryl Schweizer may be reached at [email protected] and welcomes news tips from throughout the Columbia Basin.