Dog owners howling over fee hike

DOG owners are snarling at the prospect of having to pay more to register their pooches.

Pedigree dog owners are especially upset and say they are responsible in caring for their animals and are paying the price for people who don't register their pets.

Several dog club representatives shared their concerns with the New Plymouth District Council at the hearing of submissions to its draft 2007-2008 budget last week.

The council is proposing to increase dog registration fees by between $5 and $26, depending on how many dogs people have or if they live in rural or residential areas.

Registering a dog from a residential area is set to rise from $104 to $130.

Rebates are available for neutered dogs, but breeders say desexing their animals is not an option.

It is proposed to increase the rebate for "responsible dog ownership" from $19 to $25 and the neutered-dog rebate from $15 to $20.

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The report will be presented to Thursday's council meeting to debate the draft budget.

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