18/01/2024
Did you know.....?
Under the NSW Companion Animal Act there are requirements of what you must do if you find a stray dog/cat.
If the dog/cat has a collar & tag with its owner’s contact details, please call them as soon as possible to arrange for the return of their dog/cat.
If there is no collar and/or tag, you have three options.
1. You can take the dog/cat to your nearest vet clinic where staff can scan for a microchip. If there is a microchip, staff will contact the owner to collect the dog/cat from the clinic
2. You can call Council Rangers on 1300 293 111 (select option 1) for both during operating hours and after hours. Rangers will scan the dog/cat for a microchip. If there is a microchip, the Ranger will call the owner. If they can contact the owner, the Ranger will take the dog/cat home. If they are unable to contact the owner, or there is no microchip, the Ranger will take the dog/cat to the Shoalhaven Animal Shelter.
NOTE: Rangers are available Monday - Sunday
3. You can take the dog/cat to the Shoalhaven Animal Shelter yourself. Open Monday to Sunday 9am – 4pm.
Facebook is a fantastic tool to reunite lost dogs/cats with their owners, however, it shouldn’t be the only option. Not everyone has access to Facebook and having the dog/cat scanned for a microchip can result in a quicker reunion.
The reason for this post is due to the number of people who want to keep dogs/cats they have found or when speaking to Rangers or Shelter staff make comments such as “I would keep it, but I have too many dogs/cats”. The dog/cat you have found belongs to someone and they are missing it and searching for it. Put yourself in their shoes and imagine how you would feel if your dog/cat went missing and someone found them and kept them.
We have a wonderful community in the Shoalhaven who will look after lost pets and keep them safe until an owner is found. Our local Lost & Found pages are fantastic with getting animals back home quickly, however we need to ensure we are all doing the the right thing when finding a lost dog/cat in trying to get them home quickly and that may be by taking it to a vet clinic, calling a Ranger or taking it to the Shelter.