Dog owners were encouraged to register their dogs before Saturday, 31 July 2021 to go in the draw for the kennel and run, as well as numerous pet food prizes donated by Nestle Purina PetCare.
Stephen and Eunice were the lucky winners of the kennel and run, worth $850, for their pooch Nova. Whakatāne District Council Manager Community Regulation, Verna Kinney, says the trio were thrilled with the win. "It's good to acknowledge proactive dog owners. This giveaway is our way of thanking responsible people who take the time to register their dogs,” she explains. "We also gave various Nestle Purina pet food products to 10 other dog owners who did the responsible thing and registered their dogs early," Mrs Kinney says.
The extensive prize pool was made possible by the generous sponsorship and partnership with Nestle Purina PetCare, which kindly donated a large amount of high-quality dog food.
Registering your dog makes it much easier for councils to find and identify dogs. Under Section 36 of the Dog Control Act 1996, all dogs must be registered by 1 July each year or before the dog is three months old. Dogs must be registered with the council in the district where they are kept. Dogs can also be microchipped for easy identification; this helps animal control staff return dogs to their rightful owners should their registration tags be lost.