Registration Comes Knocking
PIA Australia
March 24, 2015
Pet Insurance Australia (PIA) is urging all Australians to update their pet’s micro-chip details and ensure that their companion animals are correctly registered with their local council.
“Many councils are now cracking down on registration, so to ensure pet owners do not become the subject of hefty fines, registration is paramount,” Nadia Crighton Spokesperson for PIA says.
In Queensland, the Noosa council recently began their house-to-house inspection program to check for unregistered dogs due to a high number of unregistered dogs in the area. The Animal Management (cats & dogs) Act 2008 provides the head of power for all local governments in Queensland to undertake a systematic inspection program, including a door-to-door registration check.
Many local governments across Queensland undertake an annual door-to-door inspection for dog registration because it is an effective method to ensure the majority of dogs in the local government area are registered.
“If you are caught with an unregistered dog, owners could face fines up to $227,” Crighton says. “These types of pro-active initiatives are trying to control the continuing rise of unregistered dogs in some areas.”
PIA also reminds dog and cat loving citizens the power of a micro-chip.
“The fact is these great devices save many dogs and cats lives,” Crighton says. “They are the masters at reuniting many lost pets across Australia.”
The comments come from the concern over a recent British story, which sent shockwaves through social-media, where a cat was unknowingly euthanized because it did not have a micro-chip.
The animal was brought into a veterinary hospital showing signs of renal failure. As it was not micro-chipped or wearing a collar the staff made the decision to euthanize the animal.
“This was an absolute tragedy to the pet owners who were understandably devastated by the death of their beloved cat.”
Micro-chipping for cats and dogs is mandatory in ACT, NSW, QLD, VIC and WA. Micro-chipping for dogs only is compulsory in TAS. In
SA and NT, it is currently not mandatory for you cat or dog to be micro-chipped, however many animal protection agencies, and PIA encourage all pet owners to have their animals micro-chipped to prevent heart-ache.
“The device itself is tiny and painless for the animal,” Crighton says. Micro-chips are also covered by many insurance companies under their Routine of Care cover.
However, in Australia the main problem with micro-chips is human related.
“Your information must be kept up-to-date and accurate,” Crighton says.
PIA is asking all Australians to make it a yearly habit of ensuring your pet’s micro-chip and registration details are up-to-date.
ENDS
Nadia Crighton – nadia@staging.petinsuranceaustralia.com.au
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