LICENSING AGREEMENT WITH MCACC MAY 2026.PDF

Arizona Humane Society Cooperative Agreement Page 1 of 7 
COOPERATIVE LICENSING AGREEMENT 
BETWEEN 
MARICOPA COUNTY 
AND 
THE ARIZONA HUMANE SOCIETY 
 
THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) for Animal Control Licensing 
is entered by and between Maricopa County, a political subdivision of the State of 
Arizona, administered by its Animal Care & Control Department (“MCACC”) 
(collectively referred to as “County”), and The Arizona Humane Society (“AHS”), a 
nonprofit charitable animal-welfare corporation. The County and AHS are collectively 
referred to as “Parties” and individually as “Party.” In consideration of the following, the 
Parties agree as follows: 
1.0 
PURPOSE: This is a trial program designed to increase dog licensing. Currently, 
only MCACC sells dog licenses. In order to grow the population of Owners who 
license their dogs, AHS has agreed to sell first-time dog licenses on behalf of 
MCACC. This Agreement memorializes the Parties’ respective rights and 
responsibilities. 
 
2.0 
AUTHORITY 
2.1 
Dog licensing is a statutorily mandated service administered by the 
Maricopa County Enforcement Agent. A.R.S. § 11-1007, -1008. 
2.2 
Dogs that reside in Maricopa County and that are over the age of 3 months 
must be licensed. A.R.S. § 11-1008(A). No license may be sold without 
proof that the dog is up to date on its rabies vaccines. 
2.3 
The County may make such contracts as may be necessary to the exercise 
of its powers. See A.R.S. § 11-201.3.  
 
3.0 
TERM: This Agreement is effective for two years. It begins on May 1, 2026, 
(“Effective Date”) and will terminate on May 1, 2028 (collectively, “Term”). 
 
4.0 
RENEWAL: The Parties may renew this Agreement twice. Each renewal may be 
for an additional two years. All renewals will be via written amendment, executed 
by the authorized Parties, prior to the end of the Term.

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5.0 
AMENDMENTS: Nothing in this Agreement may be modified or waived except 
by prior written amendment, duly executed by authorized signers for both Parties. 
The Parties may renew or amend this Agreement upon the mutual written 
agreement signed by authorized signers for the Parties. 
 
6.0 
DEFINITIONS 
 
6.1 
Dog License: County-issued administrative license of a dog A.R.S. § 11-
1008. 
6.2 
Fee Schedule: County’s approved schedule of licensing fees adopted by 
the Board of Supervisors under A.R.S. § 11-1008. 
6.3 
First-Time License: A license issued to a dog not previously licensed in 
Maricopa County. 
6.4 
Handling Fee: The $10.00 retained by AHS per license sold pursuant to 
this Agreement. 
6.5 
Meet-and-Confer: In the event of a dispute, the meet-and-confer is 
the required in-person meeting between the two Parties.  
 
7.0 
COUNTY RESPONSIBILITIES 
The County agrees to: 
7.1 
Designate a point of contact for the Dog License program. 
7.2 
Provide the reporting data template and guidance necessary to process a 
dog license on behalf of the County. 
7.3 
Incorporate the AHS licensing data into the MCACC official record 
(DocuPet or the equivalent). 
7.4 
Provide pamphlets and licensing support information to new dog license 
holders. 
7.5 
Invoice AHS for licensing fees collected, less the Handling Fee, within 
thirty (30) days of the monthly sales report. 
7.6 
Provide at least thirty (30) days’ written notice of any Fee Schedule 
changes. 
7.7 
Provide the Owner with durable dog license tags. 
7.8 
Recognize the licenses sold by AHS as if they were sold directly by the 
County itself. 
 
8.0 
AHS RESPONSIBILITIES 
AHS agrees to: 
8.1 
Sell First-Time Licenses.  
8.1.1 First-Time Licensing can be determined by the following:

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8.1.1.1 A dog receiving its first rabies vaccine in 
Maricopa County and/or; 
8.1.1.2 A dog not in the County’s licensing system. 
8.2 
AHS is not authorized to issue license renewals, replacements, corrections, 
or waive County licensing fees. 
8.3 
AHS must either administer a rabies vaccine or verify if a current rabies 
certification is on file prior to selling the Dog License per A.R.S. § 11-
1010 (A). 
8.4 
Collect licensing fees using AHS own receipting and payment system. 
8.5 
Charge only the fee specified on the Fee Schedule. 
8.6 
Retain $10.00 per license sold as the Handling Fee. 
8.7 
Submit reports to the County no less than once per week using the 
County's prescribed forms and templates, which include Owners’ 
information, animal information, and rabies certificate information. 
8.8 
Remit payment to the County within thirty (30) days of being invoiced. 
8.9 
Promote County Dog Licensing using County-approved messaging. 
8.10 Maintain records sufficient to support audits and reconciliation. 
 
9.0 
RECORDS 
9.1 
At minimum, the Parties shall keep the following records under this 
Agreement: 
9.1.1 Dog licensing records, including but not limited to, the 
application, license date of sale, dog identifying information 
(breed, size), the Owner and their contact information, and 
verification of the rabies vaccine provided by an authorized 
provider.  
9.1.2 Any and all financial records related to this Agreement. This 
includes, but is not limited to, fees collected by AHS from the 
Owner, handling fees earned and retained by AHS, and any 
remittance paid to MCACC.  
9.1.3 Any other books, accounts, reports, files, or other documents 
related to this Agreement required under law. 
9.2 
This Agreement and the associated records may be considered public 
records subject to A.R.S. § 39-121 et seq. 
9.2.1 The County is responsible for fulfilling any records request 
pertaining to this agreement. 
9.2.2 AHS is responsible for providing any documentation to the 
County to support a records request pertaining to this 
agreement. 
9.3 
Any personally identifiable information (PII) provided by the County must 
be held confidential by AHS.  
9.3.1 PII in this context generally refers to Owner’ phone numbers, 
addresses, dates of birth, or financial account information.

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9.3.2 Any PII data provided to support this program by the County 
shall not be transferred or released by AHS to any third-party 
without the explicit permission of the County.  
9.3.3 If AHS should become aware that their computer system was 
breached or that Owners’ PII was compromised, AHS will 
notify the County within two business days. 
 
10.0 
LEGAL RELATIONSHIP: This is a contractual relationship. Nothing in this 
Agreement creates a legal partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship 
between the Parties or the Parties’ employees. Neither Party is liable for any debts, 
accounts, obligations, or other liabilities of the other. 
 
11.0 
SUBCONTRACTING: AHS shall not subcontract any responsibility or portion 
of this Agreement to a subcontractor without the prior, express, written consent of 
the County.  
 
12.0 
ASSIGNMENT: This Agreement shall not be assigned, in whole or in part, 
without prior written consent of the Parties. 
 
13.0 
LEGAL COMPLIANCE: The Parties agree to comply with all applicable laws: 
local, state, federal, rules, regulations, and executive orders governing equal 
employment opportunity, immigration, or nondiscrimination, including but not 
limited to the Americans with Disabilities Act.  This term explicitly includes 
compliance with E-Verify to the extent applicable.  
 
14.0 
INDEMNIFICATION: Each Party shall indemnify and hold harmless the other 
Party from and against claims, damages, losses, and expenses to the extent caused 
by the negligent or willful acts or omissions of the indemnifying Party or its 
employees.  
15.0 
DISPUTE RESOLUTION: In the event a dispute arises, a member of 
management for each of the two Parties will “meet and confer” in-person or by 
phone about the dispute. The Parties will make their best efforts to reach a 
resolution within ten (10) business days of the meet-and-confer. If the Parties are 
unable to reach a mutually acceptable resolution, the Agreement will terminate. 
16.0 
PARTIAL PERFORMANCE: The failure of either Party to insist on the full 
and complete performance of any individual term of this Agreement shall not be 
construed as a waiver of the right to later insist upon full and complete 
performance of the same, or any other term, either in the past or in the future. 
17.0 
FORCE MAJEURE: Neither Party shall be responsible for delays or failures in

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performance 
resulting 
exclusively 
from 
unanticipated, 
unpreventable, 
uncontrollable, exceptional, and overwhelming events or acts. This includes acts 
or events of nature, such as fires, pandemics, floods, hurricanes, monsoons, 
tornadoes, or communication line or power failures; and, acts or events of people, 
such as riots, wars, and governmental regulations imposed after the fact. 
18.0 
INSURANCE: The Parties agree to secure and maintain sufficient insurance 
coverage for all risks that may arise out of the terms, obligations, operations, and 
actions as set forth in this Agreement, including but not limited to public entity 
insurance. 
19.0 
TERMINATION: 
19.1 Any Party may terminate this Agreement at any time with or without cause 
by giving ninety (90) days’ written notice.  
19.2 Pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-511, either Party may cancel this Agreement 
without penalty or obligation, if any person significantly involved in the 
initiating, negotiating, securing, drafting, or creating of this Agreement 
was in effect an employee of the other party to the Agreement.  
19.3 In the event of non-payment by AHS, and upon written notice to AHS by 
the County of non-payment with an opportunity to cure, this Agreement 
shall terminate as of the date of last payment received and the rights and 
obligations of the Parties shall immediately cease. 
19.4 Upon termination of this Agreement, whether by mutual agreement or 
otherwise, any dog license processed by AHS are immediately due and 
payable to the County. AHS agrees to remit payment for all such services 
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. 
20.0 
VENUE; CHOICE OF LAW 
20.1 The proper venue for any proceeding arising from this Agreement shall be 
Maricopa County, Arizona.  
20.2 This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and be governed 
by the laws of the State of Arizona. 
 
21.0 
ENTIRE AGREEMENT: This Agreement contains all the terms and conditions 
agreed to by the Parties. No other understanding, oral or otherwise, shall be 
deemed to exist or to bind any of the Parties hereto. 
 
22.0 
NOTICE: Whenever written notice is required or permitted under this 
Agreement, such notice shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given if 
personally delivered or deposited in the United States mail in a properly stamped

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envelope – certified or registered mail, return receipt requested – or electronically 
mailed, addressed to: 
 
County 
AHS 
Maricopa County Animal Care & Control 
Licensing 
c/o Kate Davis-Hill  
2500 S. 27th Avenue 
Phoenix, AZ 85009 
(602) 506-0819 
Accfinance@maricopa.gov 
cc:  
Maricopa County Animal Care & Control 
c/o Gus Martinez 
2500 S. 27th Avenue 
Phoenix, AZ  85009 
(602) 506-5100 
Accfinance@maricopa.gov 
Arizona Humane Society 
c/o  
 
 
 
 
cc:  
Arizona Humane Society 
c/o  
 
 
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned represent and warrant that he/she is duly 
authorized to execute and deliver this Agreement on behalf of each Party and that this 
Agreement is binding on said Party in accordance with its terms.   The Parties enter into 
this Agreement as of the Effective Date, as defined in Section 3.0 of this Agreement: 
 
MARICOPA County 
 
Arizona Humane Society 
By: 
 
By: 
Kate Brophy McGee, Chair 
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors 
 
Dr. Melissa Thompson, Vice President 
Arizona Humane Society 
Date
Attest: 
 
Juanita Garza, Clerk of the Board
Date
Melissa Thompson DVM
5501 E. Van Buren 
Phoenix, AZ 85008
602-997-7585
mthompson@azhumane.org
5/11/2026

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Approved as to Form: 
Undersigned counsel has reviewed the foregoing Agreement pursuant to A.R.S. § 11-952 
(D) and Arizona Humane Society charter and has determined it is in proper form and 
within the powers and authority granted under the laws of this state to the County and 
AHS.  
 
 
 
Deputy County Attorney 
Attorney for Maricopa County 
 
 
Date