Pets find their way home sooner

A new approach to handle stray pets was announced last week and is proving effective.

As part of that plan, a new Facebook page, aimed at reuniting pets with their owners sooner, was created.

Orange Mayor Reg Kidd said the approach was a great example of council working with the private sector and the community to achieve a common goal.

“No one wants to see strays pets roaming the streets, getting hit by cars, or getting into fights and it can be very upsetting to come home and find your pet has found an escape route,” Cr Kidd said.

“Our new approach means people can take a found pet to Canobolas Family Pet Hospital, in business hours, and it will be scanned for a microchip immediately and its pet parents can be called to pick up the lost family member.

“That’s why it is incredibly important to check all your details are up to date on your pet’s microchip.

“We’ve had three dogs in the last week come into the vet who had microchips but the details were incorrect.”

In the last week, Canobolas Family Pet Hospital has received 17 dogs and 2 cats.

If pet owners can’t be contacted by Canobolas Family Pet Hospitals’ close of business each day, the animals will be transported to a private pound facility.

Companion Animals Committee Chair Stephen Nugent said rangers still played an active role in the process.

“If you can’t safely take the stray pet to Canobolas Family Pet Hospital, you can call council rangers and they’ll come and collect the animal,” Cr Nugent said.

“Rangers will come and collect the pets during business hours on a week day, unless there is a danger to the community and they will come out any time of day.

“The new system is working well and the staff at Canobolas Family Pet Hospital have been absolutely fantastic and efficient in its role to help get Orange’s pets reunited with their families sooner. The team is making a big difference.

“If your pet ends up at Canobolas Family Pet Hospital, or is picked up by a ranger for the first time and is microchipped and registered, your pet will be returned to you free of charge.

“If your pet isn’t microchipped or registered and is taken to the private pound facility, Orange City Council will impose an impounding fee along with the cost of registration and microchipping.”