Maribyrnong dog owners are furious at being slugged $295 for failing to re-register their animals on time, claiming they were told late payment would be accepted without penalty.
Many owners of Maribyrnong’s 6715 registered dogs say the first they knew the April 10 registration date had passed was when a council animal management officer knocked on their door earlier this month.
The owners criticised the council for failing to send reminder notices, telling Star Weekly they were hit with the $295 fines despite being told that paying the $50 registration fee to the visiting council officer on the spot would end the matter, a claim the council denies.
Yarraville’s Erin West said she paid her renewal notice on time, only to be told it covered only one of her two dogs.
“I don’t even know why they knocked when they were obviously going to send the fine anyway,” she said.
“I’ve paid on time for the past nine years and I paid the notice this time as well. It was obvious it was a mistake. It just makes me really angry.”
Yarraville’s Angela Crossman said she was frustrated that she was fined even though she’d paid on time for 14 years.
“It’s such a hefty fine,” she said. “I’ve always paid on time and there have always been reminders in the past.”
Yarraville’s Rachael Cassar said she paid the doorknocking officer after failing to receive a renewal notice.
“She said everything was sorted and that was the end of the matter,” she said. “Four days later a $295 bill came.”
Another Yarraville resident said her renewal notice was riddled with mistakes, mixing up her cat’s name and description with her dog’s breed and birthday.
She was told she would be sent a new notice but instead received a $295 fine.
“My blood was boiling,” she said. “There seem to be a lot of people who were told that if they paid when the officer visited, that would be the end of it. There’s a lot of anger out there.”
Maribyrnong council’s director of sustainable development, Nigel Higgins, said the council sent registration renewal forms to all dog and cat owners before the April 10 due date.
“Owners who receive a fine are still required to register their pets and registering late does not waive the fine,” he said.
“Council’s animal management officer did not provide advice to pet owners to the effect that paying immediately would waive the fine.”
Maribyrnong council refused to reveal how many fines it has issued this year or the revenue raised in recent years from registration and fines, pointing only to the 2013-14 annual report’s “infringements & costs” figure of $6.7 million for all fines.
Hobsons Bay mayor Colleen Gates said pet registration renewal notices were sent to all registered pet owners, with follow-up reminder notices and phone calls. No fines have been issued so far this year.
