Online dog registration a success for Council

A new online dog registration system has proven a winner for Hamilton City Council.

The online system, launched on 18 June, is credited as a major factor in high dog registration levels for the city, outlined in the Animal Education and Control Unit’s report to Council’s Operations and Activity Performance Committee this week.

Animal Education and Control Manager Fiona Sutton says the online registration system was used by approximately 30 per cent of dog owners registering their animals in the five weeks after it was launched.

“We are delighted with this result, and it’s a great reflection of how user-friendly and efficient the online registration system is,” says Mrs Sutton.

“We share this system with Rotorua District Council. It’s the first system of its kind in New Zealand where a person is able to register a brand new dog without having to send in any forms or come into a Council office.”

Mrs Sutton says the success of the online dog registration system has been a major factor in 95.5 per cent of known Hamilton dogs being registered by 31 August 2012 – well above the 76.1 per cent national average.

Microchipping of Hamilton dogs is also proving a success, with the unit’s report noting 78 per cent of registered Hamilton dogs are microchipped, 31 per cent ahead of the national average.

“Microchipping is another success for Council, and for dog owners, as it allows us to reunite lost dogs with their owners quicker than ever before, and can also clear up any doubt about a dog’s ownership. We are very pleased the use of these modern technologies is delivering better service to our customers and improving our results.”

Other key results in the report to be tabled are:
- A 13.6 per cent increase in the number of dogs being impounded for the 2012 financial year, compared to the 2011 financial year.
- A 12 per cent decrease in the number of investigations into dogs considered a threat to public safety.
- A 19.9 per cent increase in the number of routine investigations.

“One of our core functions is protection of the community, and the results detailed in our eight-monthly report demonstrate how effectively we are doing that.”

The Operations and Activity Performance Committee meets on Wednesday, from 9.30am, in Committee Room 1.