Register your pets

Eurobodalla Council is calling on pet owners to make sure their four-legged friends are lifetime registered.

Microchipping is just one half of the process, says Council, and sometimes people forget or need a reminder to finish the lifetime registration process by the time their pet is six months old.

The microchip has a unique identification number, and the registration connects that number to the owner. This means that registered pets are more easily returned safe and sound to their owners if they stray.

Registration is easy to do and is a one-off, lifetime payment. Simply bring your microchipping document and desexing papers if you have them to Council’s Moruya office or the depots in Narooma or Batemans Bay to complete the registration.

Working dogs and assistance animals are free. A desexed cat or dog costs $52 or $21 for pensioners. Recognised breeders are charged $52, and undesexed animals cost $192.

Under the Companion Animals Act, lifetime registration is required by six months of age and fines can apply if animals are not registered. Pet owners are also required to notify council if they change their address or telephone number, if the pet is re-homed or has died, if a dog is declared dangerous, or if the animal has been missing for more than 72 hours.

Council will be undertaking a reminder program in the coming weeks to those who haven’t registered their pets, aiming to get all dog owners on board and avoiding any fines. Council’s website has all the information you need about pet ownership, or call Council’s rangers on 02 4474 1019.