Pound For Pound, Registration's Best

Council’s local laws officers made 27 dog owners very happy in January by reuniting them with their pets. The dogs were found wandering by Council’s local laws officers and placed in the pound. Last year 156 pet owners were reunited with their pooches after their pets were placed in the pound.

Kaye Hall, Senior Local Laws Officer with Council, explained that animals are kept in the pound for at least 8 days while officers try to find their owners.

"Pets wearing registration tags are the easiest to reunite with their owners," said Kaye Hall, Senior Local Laws Officer. "In fact, animals that have registration tags are usually returned to their owners within 24 hours of being found."

If a dog is found wondering and wearing identification tags, a local laws officer contacts the owner to arrange collection of the animal. Owners are charged a $40 release fee plus $10 per day for animals that are impounded.

All dogs and cats six months and older must be registered with Council. Pet owners in the Shire who already have their animals registered with Council will shortly be receiving registration renewal notices in the mail. Registration must be renewed by 10 April 2002. New pet owners should contact Council for advice not only about registration, but also responsible pet ownership.