Paws for applause: dog owners snap up early bird registration offer

The dog registration year is off to a great start, with caring owners registering more than 7000 of their canine companions in the first three months.

The year began on 1 July, with owners signing up 7232 dogs by the end of September. That’s almost as many as the entire previous year, when there were 7808 dogs registered.

Hilary Sumpter, the council’s Group Manager - Delivery and Operations, says the strong response was driven by owners taking advantage of the discounted early bird registration offered in July and August.

“We’re delighted that our early bird campaign has encouraged dog owners to do the right thing, and the numbers are still growing.

“Registration is more than a box-ticking exercise. It’s about accepting legal responsibility for the canine companions in our care. Total registrations help us assess the demand for dog-friendly areas, while fees support the safety of people and animals in our communities.”

She explains that registration fees help to fund the council's Animal Management Team, which responds to reports of stray, barking or aggressive dogs. Those funds also contribute to the council's adopt-a-dog programme, which finds new loving homes for abandoned dogs.

Registration now also comes with free access to Doggone, a service that can quickly reunite dogs with their humans. It helped return 14 dogs to their owners in the past three months alone. The service includes an app, where owners can easily update their dogs’ home address details.

Ms Sumpter says, “We still have some way to go. There are 8937 dogs on our database, so we know there are owners out there who haven’t completed the registration process.”

Owners who no longer have their canine companion are urged to let the council know by dialling 0800 920 029, so those dogs are not labelled as unregistered on our database.

By law, dogs must be registered from three months of age, or as soon as they come into their owner’s care. Registration can be paid at any time throughout the year, and different discounts may also apply based on your dog’s circumstances.

Details of all registration fees and discounts are available in the fees and charges document on our website from today. For registration forms, to pay online, or for more information visit our register your dog webpage.