Campaspe Shire Council has mailed out 9,819 animal renewals to dog and cat owners across the shire, due by 10 April.
Mayor, Cr Adrian Weston said Victorian law requires all dogs and cats, aged three months and older, to be microchipped and registered with their local council.
“It’s important that pets are registered to safeguard them in the event they escape and become lost,” Cr Weston said.
Pets wearing registration tags can be easily identified by council’s animal management officers and returned to owners if it is lost or injured. When dogs and cats are registered, council keeps a record of details. These details can be changed on your registration at any time.
It is also recommended that pets have separate ID tags on their collars with the animal’s name and owner’s phone number and address. This helps both council staff and community members return lost dogs to their rightful owners.
“Registration also helps council to collect valuable information about local animal populations so that it can plan for, and fund programs and activities,” Cr Weston said.
Pet registration fees contribute to providing important pet related services by council’s Community Ranger and Animal Shelter teams. These services include a range of community education and animal management services:
- supporting the collection and safe return of stray animals to their owners
- attending nuisance complaints such as barking, wandering and trespassing pets
- attending and investigating pet attacks and accidents
- controlling dangerous, menacing and restricted breeding dogs to ensure that breeders comply with legislation and animals do not pose a threat to the community
- patrolling parks and public spaces
- training council staff and providing the appropriate tools for efficient animal management
- animal pound and shelter facilities
New pet owners are reminded to register their pet, with application forms easily accessible on council’s website or from customer service centres. Relevant documents such as desexing certificate, microchip certificate must be presented when registering.
Owners are required to contact council if their registration information is incorrect or has changed, this includes if the animal has died, changed ownership or moved outside of the shire.
