Eastern Bay dog owners are being offered incentives to register their animals on time this year.

Everyone who registers their dog by 31 July 2019, will receive an early-bird discount. They will also receive automatic entry into a draw to win some fantastic prizes including a kennel and run worth $850.

Other prizes include various Tux and Purina products.

Owners of all dogs registered after August 1 will be charged the full fee.

Registering your dog makes it much easier for councils to find and identify dogs. It also means owners of wandering, lost or stolen dogs can be easily found and identified. 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. 

"The first step to responsible dog ownership is to ensure your dog is currently registered," says Graeme Lewer, Whakatāne District Council Team Leader Community Regulation.

"If your dog is not wearing a yellow tag it is not currently registered."

For further information on dog registration please contact the Whakatāne, Kawerau or Ōpōtiki District Councils.