Friday, 22 August 2008
| 12ºC – Light Rain
| Telephone: 02 9777 1000
Microchipping and lifetime registration is now compulsory.
The Companion Animals Act 1998 requires you first to have your dog microchipped by a vet or animal welfare organisation and to then pay a lifetime registration fee. Council will process your registration and add the information to a statewide register accessible by all NSW Councils.
Some vets and animal welfare organisations offer discount rates on microchipping, so shop around for the best price. The registration price is a once-only payment and the fees help Council provide pounds services, rangers, dog refuse bins and other pet facilities.
To register bring the following to Council’s Help & Service Centre:
- A certificate of microchipping or a letter from your vet
- Proof of desexing from your vet or a statutory declaration
- Any other documents that entitle you to a discount.
You will also need to fill out a form, available at Council or online at the Companion Animals Website.
The registration fees from 13 January 2006 are:
- Desexed animals - $40
- Undesexed (entire) animals - $150
- Desexed animals owned by an eligible pensioner - $15
- Undesexed animals kept by a registered breeder for breeding purposes - $40
- Assistance dogs - free
Why register and microchip? On top of keeping the law and helping provide money for animal facilities, registering and microchipping gives your dog or cat a much better chance of being recovered if lost, hurt or stolen. The RSPCA was forced to euthanise 34.4% of dogs and 57.8% of cats it received in 2004/2005, partly due to being unable to find their owners. If your pet is registered and chipped it is much easier to get it back to you!