By:Audrey Levine
The biennial census of Hillsborough’s dogs that will require those residents who do not have a license to own a dog to fill out the necessary paperwork to be processed by the state began June 4 and will continue through July 27.
According to Sioban Weikel, supervisor of the dog census, the township has a list of families with a dog, as well as information regarding whether the animal is licensed.
"We hand out the papers, then the owners fill them out and send them back," she said. "The information is then put into the computer."
Ms. Weikel said that the cost of procuring a license for a dog is $13, but there will be an extra $5 charge for not having completed the paperwork before March 1.
Four college students, all of whom responded to an ad placed on the township’s channel 25, were hired to travel to the different houses in the community and pass out the forms.
"We wanted people who seemed personable, responsible, persistent and outgoing," Ms. Weikel said.
She said the four students Laurie Pfister, Emily Schilke, Carleigh Zielinski and Zachary Smith will be traveling around to the homes in the township where a dog is not licensed. Once all the forms are turned in, the information will be given to the state of New Jersey, which will then issue the licenses.
"The response to this is usually good," Ms. Weikel said. "The state wants the census done every two years."
