Unless you’re in a state with lifetime registration, each year you are expected to pay your council an amount to register your dog/s (and sometimes cat/s).
However, our Councils are largely misusing these funds.
– Money is being added to overall council coffers, rather than spent on proactive programs to keep pets out of pounds.
– Local council pounds are missing basic vital items like microchip scanners.
– Lost dogs are collected and impounded rather than taken straight home, driving up impound rates.
– Unclaimed dogs are driven to rubbish tips, shot on site and their bodies dumped in landfill.
– Unclaimed pets killed rather than offered to rescue groups or rehomed.
– Rescue groups being blocked from accessing pets.
The due date for most council pet registrations is end October this year. That’s just long enough for you to send a written inquiry to your local council to find out the health of the animal management system your tax dollars are invested in.
A sample letter is as follows;
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am a registered (dog/cat) owner in your community. In preparation for the upcoming pet registration renewals, can you please answer the following questions on how my registration fees are used by Council?
1. What percentage of animal registration fees are invested in animal management programs?
2. How many dogs were impounded, rehomed/released to rescue, and euthanised by your council in the 2011/12 year?
3. How many cats were impounded, rehomed/released to rescue, and euthanised by your council in the 2011/12 year?
4. What will happen to my (cat/dog) if found lost?
5. What method of euthanasia is used for unclaimed pets?
Obviously, you can change these details as you would like, but the more succinct the questions the more likely you are to get a response.
If you would like to share your feelings on your council’s response (good and bad) send them through to me at [email protected].
It’s your money. Find out where it is going.
See also: Overhauling the pound system – action every animal advocate can take to make a better future for pets
Follow me on Facebook
