South Dakota

Pet licenses in South Dakota: what you need to know

Published

2 years ago

January 4, 2024

Pet licenses in South Dakota: what you need to know

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) – The police department in Spearfish, South Dakota recently announced that they will give away free collar tags in January for legally registered pets in the city. While there are many furry friends to be found in the Black Hills region, many people don’t know that pets must be registered in Spearfish, Rapid City, and most places in South Dakota. Dogs and cats are required to be registered by the age of six months, which comes after confirmation that they have received a vaccination for rabies.

In Pennington County and Rapid City, animals have to be licensed, and they have to have the rabies certificate” Jerry Steinley, executive director of the Humane Society of the Black Hills explained. “And that’s just to ensure they do have the rabies vaccination before they get the license.”

Tags and licenses aren’t only useful for legal compliance and proof of animal vaccination. They can also help animals who might end up in tough situations.

Pinto is a miniature dachschund who lives in Rapid City. Standing at less than a foot tall, she packs more energy, playfulness, and curiosity than you’d expect. One night, Pinto escaped from her backyard and got lost. The six-month-old puppy roamed through over a mile and a half of grasslands in the outskirts of Rapid City. Knowing of local cougar and coyote populations, Pinto’s human family feared the worst. Then, at 2:30 in the morning, they received a phone call and a sense of tremendous relief – Pinto had been found, and her rescuers were able to track down her family by looking at her tags. Now, she lives a happy life and is popular among the other canines at the Braeburn dog park.

So, if you have a dog or cat, not only should they be legally registered, it’s a great idea to get them a collar tag as well. Sometimes pets’ curiosity can get the best of them, and identifiable tags can help them get back to their homes.

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South Dakota

Governor Rhoden signs school lunch bill into law

Published

4 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Governor Rhoden signs school lunch bill into law

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Governor Rhoden officially signed HB 1082 into law on Friday, March 27.

HB 1082 is a bill that establishes parameters for reimbursing school districts that provide free or reduced-price meals to students.

Representative Kadyn Wittman, who has worked to pass the bill for several years, expressed excitement and gratitude in a post to Facebook on Friday.

“10,000 kids across our state will now have access to free school meals. No stigma. No barriers. Just the support they need to learn and grow,” wrote Wittman.

“So incredibly grateful to everyone who made this happen. This is a big win for South Dakota families!”

You can see the full bill and its sponsors here.

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South Dakota

Retired Air Force four-star general Maryanne Miller speaks at South Dakota Mines

Published

16 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Retired Air Force four-star general Maryanne Miller speaks at South Dakota Mines

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Students at South Dakota Mines heard Wednesday from retired four-star general Maryanne Miller about her journey to the highest ranks of the U.S. military.

Miller is a retired four-star U.S. Air Force general. She is the only member of the Air Force Reserve ever to be promoted to this level.

She spoke about finding greatness and living a life of fulfillment. Her stories came from her time in the Air Force and as a volunteer for Saint Teresa of Calcutta’s Missionaries of Charity.

“We so much get focused on what is our next step in life, what’s the next career move, how do we make ourselves better in our career, and we forget about how do we make ourselves better as a human being,” Miller said. “Because they have to go tandem. If it’s not tandem, you’re going to get off track.”

Miller was commissioned in 1981 and rose through the ranks before becoming a four-star general in 2018. She was the only woman serving as a four-star officer in the military at the time. She retired in 2020 after serving for almost 40 years.

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South Dakota

USDA to offer distaster assistance to South Dakota agriculture producers impacted by winter storms

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

USDA to offer distaster assistance to South Dakota agriculture producers impacted by winter storms

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering financial and technical assistance to South Dakota farmers and livestock producers who may have been impacted by the recent winter storms.

“I encourage impacted producers to contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure, and livestock losses and damages.” said Richard Fordyce, Production and Conservation Under Secretary.

FSA’s Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program can assist landowners with financial assistance to restore damaged land and conservation structures or forests.

“Our staff will work one-on-one with landowners to make assessments of the damages and develop methods that focus on effective recovery of the land.” said Jessica Michalski, Acting NRCS State Conservationist in South Dakota.

For more information about the disaster assistance program, click here.

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