Some Take Issue With NYC's New Dog Licensing System

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York City's new dog licensing system is getting growls from some dog owners and walkers.

Instead of receiving renewal stickers each year for a dog's collar tags, the city is sending out paper documents that owners must carry when walking their pet. An electronic version of the paperwork that can be pulled up on a smartphone will also be available.

Garrett Rosso, a board member for New York Council of Dog Owner Groups, said neither option is viable and that the sticker was much more convenient.

He believes the biggest issues with this new system is that people are not likely to carry papers with them when walking their dogs and not everyone has a smartphone.

"People are afraid that if the police or park enforcement patrol stop them and ask them is their dog up to date on a license, they're not going to have that piece of paper with them -- and they're not going to, people don't walk around with papers when they go out and take their dog for a walk," Rosso told 1010 WINS. "Because of the reliance on the smartphone application, folks are also saying a lot of people don't have a smartphone."

A Health Department spokesman told DNAinfo the changes offer new benefits, such as paying for licenses for multiple years at once, and make the process more user-friendly.