‘Dog owners need to be responsible’: Council votes to chase registration fees

A heated debate preceded a vote on whether South Burnett council should chase dog owners who owe more than $72,000 in unpaid registration fees, with the vote going down to the wire.

Councillor Kirstie Schumacher argued why the council should try to recoup late dog registration fees.

The question of whether or not to forget or chase down $72,000 in overdue dog registration fees proved a divisive issue for the South Burnett Regional Council this week.

A spirited debated preceded a vote that went down to the wire, with councillors Danita Potter and Kathy Duff on one side of the debate and Kirstie Schumacher on the other.

“A lot of these registrations were from the last time when we did not give the rural residential people notice that we were putting up the registrations so for that reason I will not be voting for this,” Ms Potter said.

Ms Schumacher made a passionate case for why the council had to recoup the fees, arguing that ratepayers who did not own dogs would end up covering the cost.

Kirstie Schumacher said the council did not have the luxury of writing off dollars. "Â Photo/Holly Cormack.

“We’re going to have to hit our ratepayers to actually cover the cost that we’re not covering with this service and I just don’t think that’s right,” she said.

“We all know that this area … is not fully funded.”

Ms Schumacher also stressed the message any back-down would send to dog owners.

“As a dog owner, what incentive do I have to come and pay my dog registration fee and contribute to this service if we are setting a precedent that its OK, we’re just going to write it off if you don’t pay?”

The South Burnett Regional Council was split in its decision to chase up late dog registration fees.

Ms Schumacher also spoke about the ballooning deficit.

“I just don’t think our council, running a deficit over $3.8million in consecutive deficits for the next couple of years has the luxury of just writing off dollars … there is no money tree out the back.”

Councillor Scott Henschen blasted the other councillors for failing to come to a decision on the issue.

“It’s about time this chamber and you councillors made some decisions here, we’ve been pussy footing around this in the last four years.

“The people that I talk to are not real thrilled about writing off 70k … dog owners need to be responsible,” he said.

After the debate, the vote was split with Mr Henchen, Ms Schumaker and acting Mayor Gavin Jones voting in favour of chasing the fees. Councillor Jane Erkens, Ms Potter and Ms Duff voted against it.

Mr Jones broke the tie with a casting vote in favour of the resolution.

Dog owners who have not paid their dog registration will have it added to their next renewal notice.