Dogs and residents in Darwin’s Palmerston City Council are living in harmony, thanks to several initiatives from Council’s volunteer Animal Management Committee. The Committee was formed to create a better quality of life for Palmerston’s 25,000 residents and 5,200 registered dogs.
It meets bimonthly and although it does not have the power to change Council by-laws, its recommendations have led to the following.
- A five acre pet park where dogs can exercise off leash. The park is beside a prominent lagoon where dogs can swim safely and equipment has been installed for training purposes.
- An online dog pound where photos are posted as soon as lost dogs are impounded, so worried owners can find them quickly.
- Registration incentives, such as leads, frisbees and an ‘out of pound free’ card, which can be used once to retrieve an impounded registered dog for free.
- A ‘free ride home’ scheme for registered dogs that are found at large for the first time only. This recognises the fact that many dogs flee during tropical storms in Darwin, despite the best efforts of their owners.
Palmerston has a high level of conformity to dog registration laws, due to a public education campaign and early registration incentives, such as special rates and gifts for dog owners.
