Local registration rates for both cats and dogs have increased, with Council’s Domestic Animal Management (DAM) Plan initiatives and overwhelming community support playing a key part.
Our reports show a 30% increase in cat registrations and a 19% increase in dog registrations when compared to 2016/17 registration levels.
Council-driven initiatives such as ‘First In, Best Desexed’ (free desexing), which ran earlier in 2018, and more recently, ‘Stop Kitty Littering’ (discounted desexing for new registrations), have played a large part in increased cat registrations. Council has invested in these initiatives to address feral and semi-owned cat issues and to promote responsible cat ownership. Further community protection activities, including public education efforts, have also contributed to the overall increase in pet registrations.
Registration includes a ‘free ride home’ for pets caught wandering (if it has not been involved in an incident or is a repeat offender). Pet registrations also allow Council to resolve nuisance complaints and issues relating to animal attacks.
The increase in pet registrations is a fantastic result – registration is essential for keeping impoundment costs down for members of the community (in 2017/18, over 260 pets were impounded) as more pets can be returned to their owner, which avoids the need for delivering pets to pounds and gives residents peace of mind.