For purposes of this section, “owner” shall not include: A licensed veterinary hospital; A licensed pet shop; and An incorporated animal welfare agency not engaged in the sale of animals. An owner who has a dog over the age of 4 months shall before July 1st of each year, or within 10 days of acquiring the dog, or within 10 days after the dog becomes 4 months of age, obtain an annual license. An owner shall ensure that his dog wears a collar and a license. Before any annual license may be issued, the owner of the dog shall have the dog vaccinated against rabies and distemper, and shall pay any outstanding fines. Repealed. The annual license fees for dogs is as follows: No fee for a dog trained as a service animal and actually used for the purpose of assisting a person with a physical or sensory impairment, such as a vision or hearing impairment; $15 for a male or female dog certified by a licensed veterinarian as neutered or spayed or certified as incapable of enduring spaying or neutering; and $50 for all other dogs. All the fees collected pursuant to subsection (e) of this section shall be deposited in the General Fund of the District of Columbia. The Mayor may periodically revise the schedule of fees by rulemaking. No license may be transferred from 1 dog to another. Any license issued pursuant to this section may be issued by the Department of Health or by a veterinarian licensed in the District of Columbia pursuant to § 3-512.02 [repealed]. A veterinarian may collect an additional $2 for each license issued as reimbursement for administrative costs. Repealed. There is established as a nonlapsing fund the Sterilization Fund (“Fund”), which shall be used solely for the purposes set forth in this subsection. Deposits into the Fund shall include: Two dollars from each fee paid for the application, issuance, or renewal of a dog license; Funds authorized by an act of Congress, a reprogramming, or an intra-District transfer to be deposited into the Fund; Any other monies designated by law or regulation to be deposited into the Fund; Interest on money deposited in the Fund. All funds deposited into the Fund, and any interest earned on those funds, shall not revert to the unrestricted fund balance of the General Fund of the District of Columbia at the end of a fiscal year, or at any other time, but shall be continually available for the uses and purposes set forth in subsection (d) of this section without regard to fiscal year limitation, subject to authorization by Congress. Monies in the Fund shall be used to subsidize sterilization of cats and dogs owned by persons within the District of Columbia. The Mayor may issue grants to appropriate animal welfare organizations that are experienced in subsidized sterilization efforts.
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