Amnesty period begins for unwanted dogs in Hastings

A two month long amnesty for unregistered or unwanted dogs will begin in Hastings district next week.

The amnesty will run throughout July and August and comes as a result of Council debate over the strong approach to the enforcement of dog control legislation that was put in place in 2010. Dogs can be handed into the Hastings pound during this period with no costs incurred for relinquishment or unpaid registration fees.

Hastings District Council Chief Executive Ross McLeod says “Councillors requested that there is a brief period where we allow people with unwanted dogs to come forward and relinquish their animal at no cost. A similar initiative was tried in 2004, and that resulted in around 25 unwanted dogs being relinquished to the pound.”

“This initiative is only for those people who want to relinquish their dog to the pound. Anyone who wants to keep a dog which is not currently registered will still have to pay the normal fee to bring the registration up to date,” Ross McLeod says. 

Mr McLeod says “Our animal control team takes every opportunity to rehome suitable dogs and this will continue during the amnesty period. Officers work very closely with the SPCA, Adopt a Dog and other volunteer groups to ensure that new families are found for as many of these dogs as possible.”

Officers are available at the pound in Stevens Place, Hastings from 9am till 10am and 3:30pm till 4:30pm Monday to Friday and from 11am to 12 noon on Saturdays.

The amnesty begins on Monday July 1st and ends on Saturday August 31st 2013.

Anyone wishing to adopt a dog from the Hastings Pound should contact Council’s Animal Control Officers, or visit the pound during the hours above.

ENDS

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