Dog and cat owners in the City of Portage la Prairie have a key deadline approaching to license their pets.

The city requires owners of all dogs and cats over the age of six-months to have a pet license, which are free until March 31, 2017. Pet owners are simply required to provide proof of a current rabies vaccination for their animal to get a license.

"Animals that are caught running at large that are not licensed, there is a $100 fee that accompanies that," says City Hall communications coordinator Kathy McGregor. "It really pays to have that license."

Pets who are registered receive a tag and the serial number of that tag will be entered into the city's database. McGregor says this is another useful tool of licensing your pets.

"Animal control, when they pick up an animal, they'll check for a tag," she explains. "They can easily locate the owner with that information. They can enter the tag number into our database and quickly get the owner's name and phone number and notify them they have their pet."

"It really helps with returning animals to their owners more quickly."

The city's website explains as of April 1, 2017, pet license fees will begin to apply. The costs for each spayed or neutered dog is $20. Non-spayed or intact dogs or cats are $50. Restricted animals cost $150. Dangerous animals are $250. A service animal has a $5 fee.