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While we do our best to make sure that our pets are safe and secure at all times, no matter how careful we are, even the smallest mistake or error of judgement can unfortunately lead to pets getting lost.
Above anything else, we can’t emphasise enough how important it is to have some visual ID on your pet (a tag with your pet’s name and your mobile number on it). If your pet is wearing your contact details on their collar, whoever finds them can get in touch and get them right back home to you without the council having to pick them up.
In addition to their visual ID, keeping your pet’s microchip details updated helps ensure that if your council picks them up, they can be reunited with you quickly. To ensure your details are up-to-date and correct, you can visit PetAddress to search using your pet’s microchip number (which you can find on their vet records or adoption paperwork) to find which microchipping registry they’re on.
Registering your pet with your local council is another important step to increase their chances of making it home quickly if they get lost.
Learn more about microchipping and registering your pet.
Important: HomeSafe ID microchip registry is closing – here’s what you need to do
Microchip insights from council facilities
PetRescue recently surveyed five PetRescue member councils, and of these, 15% of the dogs and a huge 89% of cats coming into care had no visible ID or microchip.
The PetRescue member community of councils and shelters shared the below insights about lost pets coming into their care, highlighting how important identification is to get your pet home safely (their ID is their voice when they’re lost!)
“Of all the thousands of animals we had come into shelter between 2023 and 2024, the ones that were microchipped or had tags were obviously reclaimed the quickest. Of those that were microchipped though, an alarming number of those animals had out-of-date microchip details making it difficult to find the proper owners. We also note that when people are trying to reclaim animals that are not microchipped, it makes it very hard to confirm if the animals belong to the person making the ownership claim.”
“Approximately 75% of animals (cats and dogs) that pass through our impound facility are either not chipped or chipped with the incorrect details (i.e. breeder details).”
“I would say we mostly have animals with just chips, occasionally we also get dogs with tags but usually they don’t make it as far as the pound because the person who has found them was able to contact the owners themselves!”
Port Adelaide Enfield: Reuniting pets with guardians
We spoke with Brenton Thomass, Community & Environmental Health Manager at the City of Port Adelaide Enfield, about two of their initiatives, Return in Field and Centrepay, to help reunite pets with their guardians, preventing them from entering council care.
Could you please tell us more about the City of PAE’s Return in Field (RIF) where registered found pets with visual ID can be traced home by the Community Safety Officer and returned straight to their homes?
“One of the key benefits of having a registration tag on your pet is the ability to reunite them with their owner without the need for intervention by a Community Safety Officer (CSO). In South Australia, it is mandatory for dogs to wear their registration tag when off their property. At the City of PAE, if a dog with identification is found (and the finder gets in touch), our customer relations staff will attempt to contact the owner and connect them with the finder. This allows the dog to be reunited with its owner without any CSO interaction and at no cost to the owner.
This highlights the importance of having clear identification on your pet. If a dog lacks clear identification, a CSO will attend and scan the dog for a microchip. If a microchip is found, the CSO will contact the owner and return the dog in the field too. This process saves the owner from impound fees, saves the CSO time, and allows the CSO to understand why the dog escaped and provide education to prevent future incidents. This initiative underscores the benefits of keeping microchip details up-to-date and ensuring pets have clear identification.”
Could you please tell us about the City of PAE's use of Centrepay to help owners reclaim their pets and pay off fines or animal care fees over time?
“Before the introduction of Centrepay at the City of PAE, owners often struggled to afford the fees to reclaim their pets, leading to increased stress and frustration as the fees accumulated daily. Since implementing Centrepay, they can now reclaim their pets on the same day and pay off the fees as part of their government payments. While there is a small cost to the Council for offering Centrepay, the benefits of reduced stress, quicker reclaims, and a reduced impact on our pound capacity far outweigh this cost.”
What are the City of PAE's measures of success for both of these practices?
“Our goal is to ensure that no dog with identification ends up in our care. In 2023/24, 49.4% of all dogs attended to by CSOs were returned in the field. This figure does not include the number of dogs reunited with their owners by our customer relations team. For reclaiming dogs, our goal is to ensure that financial constraints are not a barrier. We offer three options for owners to reclaim their dogs: payment in full, Centrepay, and invoice with payment terms for those without Centrelink payments. Success is measured by the number of dogs reclaimed when we know the owner. No dog should remain unclaimed due to financial reasons.”
What are the council's key learnings and positive outcomes that have resulted from implementing RIF and Centrepay?
“There is a common perception that if the Council collects your dog, it will be impounded, you will be fined, and it will cost a lot of money, with the worst-case scenario being euthanasia. Our objective is to get dogs home as soon as possible with minimal CSO resources. Generally, it is the first and only time the dog has escaped. By offering RIF, we align our objectives with community expectations, building trust and demonstrating that we are here to help. Promoting the great work of the Council in the positive outcomes for dogs and owners helps build trust and support within the community. Who doesn’t love a heartwarming story of a dog reunited with its owner?”
Below, we’ve included some of the City of PAE’s Facebook posts which help create the human connection between the council and the community.
Do you have any tips for other councils around implementing RIF and Centrepay?
“Give RIF and Centrepay a try. Success in animal management should be measured by the outcomes delivered, not by income. While income is important, the cost of a dog spending extended time in the pound is far greater in the long run for the Council.”
You can read about other progressive councils doing awesome work for people and pets here.
Learn more about PetRescue’s Safe and Sound Pets program here.
Are you from a council, and are looking for new ways for the pets in your care to be seen? PetRescue membership is completely free, and allows the adoptable pets in your care to be seen by thousands of potential adopters around Australia each day. To chat with us about joining please email us here.
Banner image via City of Port Adelaide Enfield's Facebook.
