Changes to dog licensing late fees in Kamloops has seen one councillor getting calls from angry dog owners and he’d like to see council rethink the idea.

Dennis Walsh says the new Jan. 1 due date with no grace period should be more in line with business licenses that give a two-week period before fines get handed out.

He also thinks Jan. 1 might not be the right time to have to pay up. “I just think we need to review it and give people a bit of leeway because I mean, it’s the biggest holiday of the year, people are distracted and at least conform to a standard where, if we’re going to give business licenses 15 days to pay after January 1st, let’s give dog licensees 15 days after the first.”

Walsh would also like to see a grace period for late payments similar to other types of licenses in the city. “On my business licenses I get 15 days after January 1st to pay it, and it’s only $25 on a $186 charge. So I think it needs to be reviewed because many people are really upset. They expected a $30 dollar fee and they they got $62.50 because they were a day late and they couldn’t even pay on that day [Jan. 1]. They actually couldn’t pay for four days.”

He says the late fee of $32.50 on the $30-dollar license is too much and would like to see in more in line with business licenses.

“The fee is exorbitant, 108 per cent. The late fee on a business license is 13-and-a-half percent. So, lets’ be consistent in the city on time to pay and also on the amount you are being penalized for being late.”

Walsh intends to ask council to re-examine the policy with a notice of motion when council meets next week.