Unregistered dogs targeted

MANAWATU District Council is to tighten up its dealings with unregistered dogs.

Infringement fines of $300 are to be issued to any owner with an unregistered dog from Wednesday, November 16, and if payment is not made, then the animals may be uplifted from properties and taken to the pound.

Animal Control Officer, Herb Verstegen, said what council was doing was advising people that if their dog remained unregistered after November 16 then they would be sent an infringement notice.

He said a non-registration letter giving the owner seven days to register would also accompany the infringement notice. If registration was completed then council would waive the fine.

About 7500 dogs are registered in the Manawatu District, with the 2011 close-off date for registrations having been August 1. Up to 300 dogs remain unregistered.

“What we are doing is trying to get as many dogs registered as possible before we are faced with having to uplift dogs from properties,” said Mr Verstegen.

He said owners of dogs that ended up in the pound would be sent another letter giving them a week to pay the registration, impounding and sustenance fees.

If this was not done, then the animal would become the council’s property.

Mr Verstegen said it was also important that owners let council know if any dog had died or been re-homed.