Dogged campaign to sign up pets
A month-long amnesty for owners of
unregistered dogs to pay up without
penalty ends next Thursday. The Christchurch City Council decided
late last month to give wayward dog
owners a final chance to avoid penalties
and a possible $200 court fine by granting
a month’s amnesty. The Council’s Animal Control Unit has a
computerised list of about 32,500 dogs in
the city. Of these, about 30,000 are
registered. Councillor Sue Wells, chairperson of the
Regulatory and Consents Committee, says
owners of unregistered dogs should
understand that Council staff know where
they are, and says they will be collared. “We’ve invested in some excellent new
technology and staff are going door to
door around the city, serving notices on
owners of unregistered dogs,” Cr Wells
says. “If you don’t register your dog by the end
of March, you’ll get caught. It’s as simple as
that. And then you’ll face the cost of
registration plus a $200 penalty.” The City Council’s dog registration year
runs from July to June. Normally, dog
owners who pay by 30 June would pay
between $37 and $70 to register a dog for
a year, depending on the category and
number of dogs. Information about dog ownership in
the city is available on the City Council
website, at The Council’s Environmental Services
Unit is the telephone contact for calls
about dogs. Its customer centre number is
941 6643. |