Perhaps this misunderstanding about dog licences had been perpetuated by the clerks themselves for some amusement?
“Humour in the Post-office
January is always a ‘harvest time’ at the Post-office ‘licences’ counter. The postal officials, however, though possibly overworked at this period, contrive to get a good deal of fun as compensation for their extra labour in the issue of dog licences.
I was talking to one of the counter clerks the other day and he related to me some of his experiences in this connection.
Apparently, it is a common belief among ‘dear old ladies’ that a dog licence cannot be issued unless the dog itself is presented at the grill.
‘Here is Fido,’ they say, struggling to prop up some poor little animal against the counter, and , seemingly expecting the clerk to pat its head or give it a bone.”
Stamford Mercury, 22nd January, 1932.