2016-11-18 Fri

The Dogs Regulation Act passed in Ireland during 1860s created a new revenue stamp collecting specialty.

The 1866 act was a response to countless complaints of livestock killings that were blamed on loose dogs. According to this act, every dog owner had to obtain new licenses for their animals. Payments were represented by affixing revenue stamps to the license forms.

Each Irish dog license had two different kinds of stamps: one for the dog, and one for the license itself. The cost was 2 shillings for each dog. Owners of more than one dog had to buy a 2 shilling stamp for each animal; hence, many documents exist with multiple stamps affixed on them.

The revenue stamp depicts an image of a dog with “License Two Shillings” written at the bottom. A red seal mark is seen with the date on it.

These annually updated lists of dog owners are extensive enough to make a useful genealogical resource. The stamps, on the other hand, can make a wonderful and unique collectors’ piece for the philatelists as well as to the dog lovers.