Fewer happy endings
Chips are down for pets
A SOARING number of cats and dogs that are taken to Geelong’s pound are not reunited with their owners, new data shows.
Just one in every five animals that ended up in Geelong Animal Welfare Society (GAWS) were reclaimed by their owner during 2017-18.
The figure has significantly slipped after hovering around 50 per cent over the past few years, as authorities deal with an increasing number of cats that aren’t microchipped.
GAWS’ adoption pens are at capacity, with young kittens already coming in as the facility prepares for a longer breeding season.
CEO Helen Cocks said the organisation was keen to see more cats find new homes, amid the increasing demand for space.
“We are clearly expecting another boom,” she said yesterday.
“We are already starting to see kittens in our care.
“The milder weather is making kitten breeding season longer and longer. It won’t quieten down until about May next year.”
Geelong has a sizeable domestic animal population, with 34,396 registered dogs and 10,814 registered cats.
The council’s annual report, released yesterday, revealed that the direct cost of managing animals services had jumped more than 11 per cent in 2017-18.
The report noted the rise in contractor costs for the running of the pound was the result of the work being tendered at market rates.
The council said increasing rates of animals that are returned to their owners was a key focus for the next year.
It is examining seasonal registration tags for tourists, and considering a cut-price registration ‘amnesty program’ for suburbs with high numbers of unregistered animals.
A process to allow rescue animals to be registered at the pound on the spot is also being examined.