By NATALIE GALLENTI
PET owners registering their dog and cat in the City of Melton for the first time have until 10 April to receive a discount for microchipping their animal.
As a result of recent changes to the Domestic Animals Act 1994, a new fee schedule for pet registration will come into effect across Victoria on 11 April this year.
City of Melton mayor Kathy Majdlik said as part of these changes, pet owners would no longer receive a discount on their registration for having their animal microchipped.
“Under State legislation, every dog or cat over three months of age and residing in the City of Melton must be registered with council. Every dog or cat, which has been registered, must be re-registered by 10 April each year,” Cr Majdlik said.
“Currently, pet owners are eligible for a discount on their registration fees for a variety of reasons, including having their pet microchipped.”
From 11 April pet owners will only receive a discount if their animal has been desexed, is over 10 years of age, belongs to a domestic animal business or applicable organisation, or if their pet is a dog that has undergone training or is a working dog. Animals not meeting any of these criteria will attract the full registration fee.
The change will only affect new pet registrations. The owners of microchipped animals who have registered their pet before the cut-off date will continue to receive a discount on their registration fees for the life of the animal.
Figures reveal that since the introduction of mandatory cat and dog microchipping five years ago, councils across the state have reported a reduction in desexing, due to the fact that pet owners were already receiving a registration discount for microchipping.
Cr Majdlik said one of the aims of the new fee schedule was to encourage pet owners to desex their animal in order to be eligible for the discount.
“Registration fees pay for a number of important programs and services, including animal management facilities, dog attack prevention programs and animal management staff.”
