Jake the dog is just another member of the family to four-year-old Kyri.
For councils, dogs are a bit more than that. Brimbank council is calling on pet owners in its borders to look after all dogs and cats by paying their animal registration fees by the due date of April 10. Fees start at $32 for dogs and $21 for cats.
City development director Stuart Menzies said pet owners needed to act responsibly and ensure that dogs and cats were registered, desexed and microchipped.
“Having pets registered not only saves owners from an expensive fine but is an effective way to have a pet returned if it goes missing,” Mr Menzies said.
Figures obtained by Star Weekly reveal that 2617 stray or lost cats and dogs were found roaming Brimbank streets in the 2013-14 financial year.
Of the 965 dogs collected, 851 were reclaimed by owners, while the rest were made available for adoption through the Lost Dogs Home.
But most of the 1652 cats collected by the council were classified as feral and put down.
Registration forms can be downloaded from www.brimbank.vic.gov.au or picked up at the council’s customer service centres.
