New pet owners will score a year’s free pet registration in a new push to boost registration rates across Wyndham.
Wyndham council voted last week to waive the fee for new cat and dog registrations for one year, but has yet to finalise a start date for the initiative.
A council report found a high proportion of unregistered pets in Wyndham, based on council audits and the number of unregistered dogs and cats being picked up by council officers.
The report found the first-year fee waiver would give new pet owners more time to get their dog or cat desexed, which would make them eligible for a reduced registration fee the following year.
According to the Domestic Animals Act 1994, every dog and cat of three months and over must be registered with their local council by April 10 each year.
Pet owners are charged an annual registration fee of $150 for dogs under 10 that are not desexed or $48.50 for desexed dogs. Cat owners are charged $108 if their cats are not desexed and $36 if desexed. The council provides free registration for new dogs and cats under six months old.
Councillor Gautam Gupta praised the initiative.
“We know a number of pet lovers in the city have not registered their pets,” he said. “It’s not only a revenue loss for the city, but it’s protection for their pets, especially if the pets go missing.”
