It's dog registration time, and this year there's a chance for your dog to be in to win.

All dog owners in the Western Bay who register their furry friend with Western Bay of Plenty District Council before Friday, June 30 will be in to win free registration next year.

"You can register your dog online, or at one of our library and service centres and we'll do the rest," says a Western Bay of Plenty District Council spokesperson.

"Then you can rest easy for a year while your dog dons the latest accessory in doggy fashion, a fetching yellow registration tag."

To register your dog

• Go online and have your tag delivered in four weeks - westernbay.govt.nz/dog-registration
• Visit us in person and get a new tag on the spot - westernbay.govt.nz/service-centres

Why is registration important

Council's Animal Services Team leader Peter Hrstich says that like so many other things at the moment, dog registration fees have gone up. And you might be wondering why it's so important to register your dog every year.

'Dog registration fees have gone up to cover the increased running costs of the services we provide. It's a sad inevitability in the world we're living in right now. But it's important to remember that dog registration pays for a lot of crucial doggy services.

'For example, registering your dog could help to save its life. In an emergency our team can use registration information to identify dogs may have been stranded in an evacuation and get them home to their owners.”

In the last year registrations helped pay for these services:

• Investigating over 1000 complaints
• Rehoming 29 dogs through the council adoption programme