If an animal fitting the description of your pet is found and we have your contact details, you will be contacted and asked to come to the Council pound (Animal Aid) or to Council to determine if it is your pet. If you rpet is at Animal Aid, you will need to pay a fee at Animal Aid to release your pet.
Animal Aid will also undertake a tracing procedure in an attempt to locate the owner. If the owner is identified, they will be advised of the situation. If a pet is micro-chipped it will have a much better chance of being reunited with its owner.
If you find a stray dog or cat:
- Please secure it if safe to do so.
- If you have the dog or cat contained, you must contact Council as soon as possible on telephone number 9262 6333 (24 Hours). It is important to report any found animals to Council. Although you may not wish to see the animal impounded, you are required by law to deliver the cat or dog as soon as is reasonably possible, to a Council Officer or Council’s pound (Animal Aid).
- Not contacting Council and keeping the animal can reduce the owners' chances of finding their dog or cat, as the pound is the most likely place they will check. We discourage holding the animal yourself.
- It is also important not to take the animal out of the area where it was found as this also makes it more difficult for owners to find their pet.
- Please remember we try to return all dogs and cats home as soon as possible to avoid any unnecessary stress for the pet or its family. If the animal has identification, Council can get in contact with the owners by tracing the registration tag number or microchip.
- If the found animal is wearing a registration tag, with your permission, Council may be able to contact the owner and arrange for them to collect their pet from you. If the owner can’t be contacted, or the pet is not wearing visible identification a Community Laws officer will attend and collect the pet.
- If the dog or cat has ID, it will be returned home if possible.The pet’s owners, who may have already notified us that their pet is missing, are waiting to hear from us. Council officers will make every attempt to reunite pets with their owner.
- Stray dogs or cats found without identification and/or whose owners cannot be contacted will be taken to Animal Aid.
Please note that any deceased dogs and cats collected by Council will be taken to the RSPCA in Burwood East. If the pet is wearing identification or has a microchip the RSPCA will contact the owner advise them.