The staff at the Lawrence County Dog Warden's office

is hoping dog owners will make it a New Year's resolution if they didn't make it a Christmas gift.

The annual dog tag sale began Dec. 1 and will continue through Jan 31.

"If they buy the dog tag, it will guarantee their pet makes it back home if it is lost. The tag has the name and telephone number of someone to call," Assistant Dog Warden Shannon Neal said. "They should avoid the penalties and buy now."

Dog tag sales are regulated and required by state law, although the county commission has the authority to extend the sales deadline.

Each individual dog tag costs $8 and each kennel tag is $40. After the deadline, tags and kennel charges will be doubled.

Neal said it appears tags are selling well at the moment.

The proceeds from dog tag sales are used to operate the county dog pound. Owners who are cited into court for failure to buy the requisite tag can face fines of $150 plus court costs. Additionally, unlicensed dogs can be seized.

In May, the county commission gave its blessing to Lawrence County Dog Warden Bill Click's plan to crack down

on some 1,900 violating pet owners who had not bought dog tags during the 2003-04 sale.

The dog pound staff took their get-tough approach to homes of people who had purchased tags previously but had failed to renew them.

By October, tag sales reached the 4,500 mark.