Time to register your pet
Published on 03 April 2014
Dog and cat owners registering their pets in Loddon Shire this year will, for the first time, receive a lifetime tag for their animals.
This applies whether it’s a new registration or a renewal.
Local laws compliance officer Tony Gibbins said pet registration was a legal requirement and owners needed to either renew or start their registrations by Wednesday 9 April.
“Animals need to be registered by the time they are three months old,” Mr Gibbins said.
The fee this year is $100, but pensioners pay half that. Reduced fees of $20 (and $10 concession) are available under certain conditions.
“Pet owners will receive a discount if their animal has been desexed, is over 10 years of age, belongs to a domestic animal business or applicable organisation, if their pet is a dog that has undergone training or is a working dog,” Mr Gibbins said.
“Animals not meeting any of these criteria will attract the full registration fee.
“Apart from being a legal requirement, there are many additional reasons to register your pet.
“Registration fees pay for a number of important programs and services, including animal management facilities, school-based education programs and promoting responsible pet ownership.
“The move to lifetime tags should save a lot of time and expense for Council in the future and make the process simpler for owners.
“Remember you can’t register an animal for the first time unless it’s microchipped.”
Mr Gibbins said Council would like to see all dogs and cats desexed, unless they were being kept for breeding.
“Advice from the Department of Environment and Primary Industries says desexing dogs helps prevent dog overpopulation and produces animals which are better behaved, less likely to roam and less susceptible to health problems.
“The same benefits apply to desexed cats, as well as their being less likely to yowl at night and spray strong-smelling urine.
“Desexing your animals is really at the core of responsible pet ownership.”
People can pay by mail, over the phone with a credit card only or at Council agencies around the Shire.
Apart from the Council offices in Serpentine and Wedderburn, sites accepting payments are the Boort Resource and Information Centre, the Bridgewater and Tarnagulla post offices, the general stores at Dingee, Mitiamo and Newbridge, Bendigo Bank at Inglewood, Pyramid Hill Newsagency and the Rural Transaction Centre at Dunolly.
For more information on how to register your pet with Loddon Shire Council, go to www.loddon.vic.gov.au or phone 5494 1200.
CAPTION: Owners of dogs and cats in Loddon Shire have until 9 April to register their pets.