Pet owners in Brisbane are being urged to be more responsible and the council is giving them a helping hand.

The Lord Mayor today announced free micro-chipping in a bid to reduce the number of cats and dogs put down in shelters.

Candice Anderson reports.

TRANSCRIPT

In what he calls a one off – for now – Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk urged dog and cat owners to take advantage of a special initiative.

Tomorrow, the council is offering free microchipping for Brisbane pets.

Council hopes by providing the service free of charge, it will encourage pet-owners to get the procedure done.

The Lord Mayor says the aim is to be able to reunite owners with lost pets instead of having to put them down.

Graham Quirk, Lord Mayor: The last thing we want to see happen is pets being put down and euthanised pets is not what we want in this city.”

Sixteen per cent of dogs and fifty per cent of cats in council shelters are euthanised every year.

One pet owner says without microchipping her dog could be dead after he ran away during a thunderstorm.

Kim North, Pet owner: “It was really hard, the whole family was really upset and when we finally got him, we got a phone call and we got him, we were really excited.”

If pet owners want to take advantage of the offer it’s only happening here at Council’s Warra Animal Shelter between nine and twelve tomorrow.

But the Lord Mayor says if there’s an overwhelming response they’d consider making it a regular part of their animal management program.

Candice Anderson, QUT News.