AN audit on animal registrations could result in Wyndham pet owners receiving heavy fines for not registering their cat or dog with the council.
The audit will begin on May 1, with owners of unregistered cats and dogs facing a $281 fine.
State laws require that all dogs and cats over three months of age must be registered by April 10 each year. Last year, more than 26,000 cats and dogs were registered in Wyndham.
The council says registrations allow it to keep statistics on the number of cats and dogs in the municipality and help it provide appropriate services. Registrations can also help reunite lost pets with their owners.
Cr Intaj Khan said it was important for owners who had moved house to update registration details and the microchip registry.
Changes to the Domestic Animal Act mean that owners of desexed pets older than 10 years are eligible for discounts on their registration.
In 2012, more than 1700 owners failed to register their pets with the council. Some could be due to the death of a pet or owners moving out of the municipality.
To register a pet, phone 9742 0777.
