30 January 2013

Lower Fees Means Fewer Unregistered Dogs In The Waikato

The drop in dog registration fees in the 2012/13 year has contributed to a huge fall in the number of unregistered dogs in the Waikato district.

The number of unregistered dogs in the Waikato district is currently about 296, compared with 1,431 a year ago. This means that of the approximately 12,800 dogs in the district, only 2.3 per cent are unregistered in January 2013, compared with 11.1 per cent a year ago.

"Were pleased to see this sharp decline in the number of unregistered dogs, and are hoping this trend will continue over the coming year," said general manager Regulatory, Nath Pritchard.

The cost to owners in the approved category for registering a dog after 1 August 2012 fell 38 per cent to $85 from $137 in the year to June 2012. For dog owners in the general category the fee is $110, down from $137, a fall of 20 per cent.

In addition to the drop in fees, Mr Pritchard said the fall in unregistered dogs was also due to the ongoing efforts of council animal control staff, who have been working with dog owners to lower the number of unregistered dogs in the district.

The council is required by the Government to register all dogs within the district. The fees collected by registrations contribute to the cost of the councils animal control services. This includes maintaining a district dog register, care for lost or roaming dogs, responding to complaints regarding noisy or dangerous dogs, and implementing the councils animal control bylaws and policies.

ENDS

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