URGENT! Dog fee help question

[Netix]

I need to register my dog today. She is a restricted breed, and the fee for said dog is $200. No concessions.

However, the fee for a desexed or microchipped dog is $34. She is both.

I have not had her registered before as a restricted breed, because the area we lived in, if I had the big sign on my gate, she would have been stolen. Now, I have no choice, or she can be seized and destroyed. I couldn't bear that to happen to a family pet.

Does anyone know how I can plead my case to only have to pay the $34 instead of $200 in a money grabbing exercise, as described to me not ten minutes ago by the local ranger? I cannot possibly pay that amount this week. This fortnight.

Yes, I know some people are against 'these' dogs, and I'm not interested in that discussion right now. I just want help on this topic please.

[Elocin]

I guess all you can do is call your local council and plead your case...

They may be able to discount it because she is desexed and microchipped, but because she's a resctricted breed, unfortunately I don't think you'll have much luck.

Good luck

[Miss.September]

I think the higher fee is supposed to be for inspections that are supposed to happen when you have a restricted dog. My belief was that the councils are supposed to check out the property where a restricted dog is and the extra fee is for the cost of all of that. I could be wrong though, heaven forbid I trust what I hear in the media! Good luck

[glenny_c]

Not sure if you'll have much luck but it may help to talk to someone face to face.
Can you go down to your council office and talk to someone taking payments there? Sometimes if they can put a face to you, you do better. Although with the recent stories about dog attacks- councils may be more vigilent and less likely to bend the rules. Good luck.

[krysalyss]

Which state do you live in? Some of the fees are state-based (e.g. NSW) and so they would not be able to reduce those because it needs to go into the state register. If it is local council based fees you could only try. Have you ever had an obedience training done with your dog? If yes, then I would also point that out as it may go in your favour as well. You can only try. Otherwise you could try to negotiate a date with them (e.g. that you will have it done within a month) to show that you want to meet your obligations and intend to meet them.

[Miss.September]

Wanted to add - you're probably going to get further if you speak to someone in charge too. We paid for our dogs one day late (because the due date was a Sunday so we paid Monday morning) and the woman actually had a go at DH and said she wasn't going to process it, couldn't we read the date? He bit back (pardon the pun) and said that our dog wasn't blue either (she's black and grey and they have her listed as being blue) and it seemed there was a mistake all round, so she shut up and processed it. Whenever we have any issue with the council, we go high up and seem to get some answers.

[LuluHB]

I agree that an in person visit might get you further than a phone call. If you go down there and offer them some sort of payment plan, with a part payment now if you can possibly manage it, then you might get lucky. Good luck.

[helle]

what are the restricted breeds? out of curiousity... (sorry to hijack)

[Netix]

Thanks for your suggestions ladies, most appreciated. I will go down to the offices, see if that gets me further, hopefully with a payment plan. The annoying thing is, I have to register her here, then hope I can transfer the registration to the new place when we move.

[Netix]

Helle, from the DPI:

What is a restricted breed dog?

Restricted breed dogs are five specific breeds of dogs. They have not attacked a person or animal or displayed signs of aggression, but they are considered a higher risk to community safety than other breeds of dogs.

The following dog breeds are restricted:

American Pit Bull Terrier (or Pit Bull Terrier)
Fila Brasileiro
Japanese Tosa
Dogo Argentino
Perro de Presa Canario (or Presa Canario).

Only the American Pit Bull Terrier (or Pit Bull Terrier) and one dogo Argentino is known to be in Victoria.

[helle]

Thanks for your suggestions ladies, most appreciated. I will go down to the offices, see if that gets me further, hopefully with a payment plan. The annoying thing is, I have to register her here, then hope I can transfer the registration to the new place when we move.

Is the new place within the same council? If not, hopefully they can do it quarterly or something. Good luck! Is kinda sucky, especially when not everyone kicks their dogs into agression.

[Netix]

I have just spoken with the ranger again. He hears my concern on not getting my dog registered today, and says I need to remember the wording of the legislation, which says the dogs "can be" seized and destroyed, not "will be". He said there are three rangers there, and none of them are interested in going and killing dogs, especially when most of them just want to be at home with their owners, not out killing things. And out of all the dog bite reports that have come to him in this council area, NOT ONE has been a pitt bull. He said to register her next week (fingers crossed I can come up with the money, or do I just call the new council?), and all the council will do is give the info we need to house, keep, and walk a restricted breed dog.

Oh, I feel like just falling in a heap.

[Netix]

I just re-read this from the DPI site (under things you should know about restricted dog breeds):

...Current owners may keep their restricted breed dogs as long as the dogs were:

-in Victoria prior to 1 September 2010, AND
-registered (as any breed) with the local council prior to 30 September 2011....

So, reading the above, am I being reasonable in thinking that I may register my dog as something other than what she is (let's say a staffy cross for the point of the discussion), with the new council (or this one), which would allow me to pay the $34 today ? And get her registered "prior to 30 September", so there is no chance of her being seized. And then I'm just not sure on how I go about changing her registration to what she really is (which is also on her microchip).

I don't want to do this, but I don't want to leave her unregistered.

[glenny_c]

hmmm, not sure about that. Might come across like you're trying to hide something. I would go and talk to someone, or you could maybe call anon to ask questions about the legislation, rather than specifically.

[krysalyss]

Just pointing out that says September 2010 not 2011.

[Just Me]

I don't know if you can change the breed.

How are you paying the fee? If you are mailing a cheque or paying BPay or even credit card over the phone, can you just pay the $34 and wait for them to contact you for the rest? It might buy you some time to come up with the remaining money ...

Sorry I can't be of any more help. I'm sorry that this is happening. It is stressful

[Miss.September]

Helle - Pit Bull X's have also been added in to the new restrictions.

Netix - When we moved councils with our dog we had to register him with the new one, and then take that registration to the old council to show that we'd moved and he was still registered. Surely it'd be as simple as that, even though she's restricted? Aren't the restrictions a state wide thing, not a council by council thing? Good luck hun.