A dog owner has criticised a local council after receiving an exorbitant fine that most people are unaware of.
Noosa Council has fined Queensland resident Peter Morris $309 for forgetting to register his cavoodle annually.
While each state approaches dog registration differently, Queensland allows each council to set its own registration fees.
Mr Morris described Noosa Council’s annual charges of $48.50 for neutered pets and $193.50 for unneutered dogs as a ‘cash grab’.
She said her dog, Rigby, barely leaves the house and said she only received one final warning to re-register him before receiving the fine.
“It’s a wild way to increase revenue,” he said. Yahoo.
‘What the hell are you getting for registering this dog?’
Mr Morris has since been warning other local residents to make sure they comply with this “ridiculous” and “greedy” rule.
A resident of Noosa, south-east Queensland, has criticised his local council after he was fined $309 for forgetting to renew his dog’s annual registration (file image)
The Noosa resident said he only received a warning from the council before being fined (pictured, mock-up)
The dog owner added that the fees would only mean that residents who buy dogs would go out of their way to avoid it.
“There are a lot of people who are having a hard time,” Morris said.
“People buy new dogs and don’t register them so there’s no record left.”
A Noosa Council spokesman said residents were only fined after being reminded “several” times to renew their registration.
Rob Smith, the council’s environmental health and local law manager, said more than 10,000 residents have paid the fee in the last year alone.
“It is a legal requirement for dog owners to inform the Council of any changes that are relevant to their dog ownership,” he said.
‘This also ensures that the Council has the most up-to-date information and can keep dog owners informed of their obligations.
‘The Council recently issued 729 fines in relation to outstanding dog registrations.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Noosa Council for comment.