Jessie McDonald-Northcote, a dog owner from the Whakatane district, is the lucky winner of a kennel and run worth $850 thanks to a Whakatane District Council draw.

This year, dog owners were encouraged to register their dogs before July 31 to go in the draw for the prize, courtesy of the council, as well as numerous pet food prizes donated by Nestle Purina PetCare. Jessie's dog, Gin, had its number come up for the kennel and run.

Whakatāne District Council Community Regulation Manager Graeme Lewer says Jessie was over the moon with the win. "She has a few dogs so the prize will be well-used. 

"It's good to acknowledge proactive dog owners. This prize giveaway is our way of thanking responsible people who take the time to register their dogs. It was made possible by the generous sponsorship and partnership with Nestle Purina PetCare, which kindly donated a large amount of high-quality dog food.

"We also gave various Nestle Purina pet food products to 30 other dog owners who did the responsible thing and registered their dogs early," Graeme says. "The response from them has been amazing. They were blown away by the generous prizes they received."

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 July 1 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. 

Visit our Dog Registration section for more information.

Photo: Nestle Purina PetCare area manager Rick Kinner (left) and Whakatāne District Council Community Regulation Manager Graeme Lewer