KIND-HEARTED rescuers who adopt pets from Frankston pounds will no longer pay registration fees after councillors decided to “reward love with love” by dropping the fees for the first year of ownership.
North-West Ward councillor Kris Bolam’s notice of motion was unanimously supported by fellow councillors at council’s latest 2 July public meeting.
Council officers crunched the numbers and advised council would be forfeiting about $30,000 annually in registration fees.
Cr Bolam believed the financial trade off is worthwhile.
“It’s another way of saying thank you to people who are doing the right thing and adopting animals,” Cr Bolam said at the meeting.
“We should be rewarding love with love and that’s what we’re doing here.”
Council saw 185 animals adopted from the Lost Dogs home over the past year.
Abandoned animals cost ratepayers about $940,000 each year including capture and housing costs.
Councillors hoped the scrapping of registration fees for Frankston municipality residents who adopt animals instead of buying them elsewhere will lead to a rise in pet adoptions.
“Anything that encourages pet purchases from the pound is a good thing,” Cr Glenn Aitken said.
Councillors believed ratepayers will welcome the move to encourage pet adoption from pounds.
“Dogs bring a lot of happiness to many people in our municipality and I think we’re doing something that will be very well received by residents in our community,” Cr Steve Toms said.
Pet shops across Victoria were banned from selling puppies, kittens, cats and dogs from “puppy farms” from 2 July this year.
First published in the Frankston Times – 9 July 2018
Clarification: This article was amended on 12 July to confirm registration fees are not payable for animals adopted from pounds for the first year only. Frankston municipality residents who adopt an animal from a pound after 2 July 2018 are eligible to have the first year fees waived.
