The Hastings animal welfare centre is overflowing with dogs at the moment with officers reporting higher numbers than usual wandering the streets.

Hastings District Council animal control officer Clynton Chadwick said the longer summer daylight hours seemed to be a contributing factor to the explosion of dogs roaming across the district – both registered and unregistered, with microchips and without.

“We picked up four in half an hour last Saturday, all unregistered – we’ve got about 20 in the pound at the moment,” he said.

The pound has capacity for 40 dogs, and half the cages were now occupied with canines of all breeds, and in varying condition.

Mr Chadwick reminded people that if their dog was registered and had not been impounded previously in the last 12 months, it would be returned to them at no cost.

If it had been picked up before, however, the first impounding fee of $85 would be applied (the fee for the second impounding cost $100, and the third $150).

While arrangements could be made, the council was legally obliged to hold dogs for a minimum of seven days, he said.

“If you lose your dog please get in touch with us.”

Many people asked about adopting unclaimed dogs, and Mr Chadwick said rehoming was offered, provided both the dog and prospective owner were suitable.

“We don’t put them all on the website though as some are specialist dogs and we ensure those ones are rehomed with appropriate owners who are equipped to take care of them properly, and to do that we sometimes send them out of the district.”

If the dogs were more easy care, however, they were offered to the general public through the website and facebook, but again not allocated to people unless they were considered responsible prospective owners.

ENDS

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