{"id":182993,"date":"2026-03-23T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/?p=182993"},"modified":"2026-03-20T11:04:56","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T00:04:56","slug":"register-your-pets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/news\/register-your-pets\/","title":{"rendered":"Register your pets"},"content":{"rendered":"

I DON’T think it would surprise anyone to learn that I’m a dog lover.<\/p>\n

I come from a long line of women who can’t visit an animal shelter, pound or adoption day without bringing home a new pet.<\/p>\n

Whether it’s cats, dogs or horses, the women in my family have always been a little obsessed with our animals.<\/p>\n

Dorothy, my current greyhound, came home with me after I met her at one of Geelong’s weekly greyhound walks along the waterfront. It didn’t take long for me to realise she belonged with me.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, Dorothy and I joined hundreds of local dog lovers at Eastern Park for PAWS for GAWS.<\/p>\n

It was a fun morning walking with our resident pooches and their two-legged companions, and a great reminder of what’s possible when the community comes together for a good cause.<\/p>\n

Each year, people from across our region come together to raise funds for the Geelong Animal Welfare Society, better known locally as GAWS, and the vital work they do caring for and rehoming animals.<\/p>\n

Walking supports GAWS to care for the thousands of homeless and surrendered animals that come through the doors of its Moolap shelter every year.<\/p>\n

This includes medical treatment and rehabilitation, warm shelter, food, enrichment such as walks and play and, of course, finding the right fur-ever family.<\/p>\n

As a long-time fur mama of adopted greyhounds, this is a cause very close to my heart.<\/p>\n

In 2024, more than 400 wonderful volunteers donated their time to look after 1,263 dogs, 1,943 cats and 80 rabbits and guinea pigs that came into GAWS’ care.<\/p>\n

Their ongoing efforts are critical to rehoming these animals, and that’s not to mention all the dedicated staff and volunteer foster carers that also support this transition.<\/p>\n

As we recognise their amazing work, it’s also an opportune time to remind pet owners of the steps they can take to prevent animals ending up in shelters in the first place.<\/p>\n

The first simple but important step is ensuring your furry friend is microchipped and registered.<\/p>\n

Greater Geelong is home to one of the largest registered animal populations of any Victorian municipality, including more than 35,000 dogs and more than 10,000 cats.<\/p>\n

But data shows about 100,000 microchips linked to our region, indicating that thousands of pets living here aren’t registered.<\/p>\n

The City of Greater Geelong’s Animal Management team does a fantastic job responding to animal incidents and reuniting lost pooches and tabbies with their human companions.<\/p>\n

But they need your help. Registration helps our staff get lost pets home as quickly and safely as possible and prevents them ending up in animal shelters.<\/p>\n

I also urge owners to keep their pets safely secured at home, on lead during walks, except in designated off-leash areas, and out of prohibited spaces, for the safety of residents, other pets and native animals.<\/p>\n

Finally, it’s worth highlighting what council is doing to support our residents, pet owners or not, to live in harmony with all our resident animals.<\/p>\n

In November we adopted our Domestic Animal Management Plan 2026-29, which outlines actions including building new dog parks, free registration for newly registered pets for the first year, education campaigns, desexing drives and other important measures.<\/p>\n

The majority of pet owners are already doing the right thing, and if the turnout at this year’s PAWS for GAWS walk is anything to go by, our community is more than ready to step up for the animals that depend on us.<\/p>\n

I can’t wait to see many of you again for barking good time at next year’s event!<\/p>\n

To view the full plan, head to yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au\/DAMP2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Cr Emma Sinclair<\/strong><\/p>\n

Charlemont Ward, City of Greater Geelong<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I DON’T think it would surprise anyone to learn that I’m a dog lover. I come from a long line of women who can’t visit an animal shelter, pound or adoption day without bringing home a new pet. Whether it’s cats, dogs or horses, the women in my family have always been a little obsessed […]<\/p>\n

Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":149,"featured_media":183093,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-182993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRegister your pets - Surf Coast Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Register your pets in Geelong to ensure they stay safe. 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