PET owners in Casey are being reminded to register their pets before the deadline.
Under State legislation any dog or cat which is three months old or more needs to be registered with the council where the owner resides.
Casey Council registration renewals need to be paid by 10 April.
“Each year, the City of Casey co-ordinates animal registration renewals for 31,700 dogs and 8700 cats who reside in the municipality,” Casey mayor Sam Aziz said.
“The council has now sent out over 40,000 registration renewal notices via mail to registered pet owners in Casey.”
Cr Aziz said if pet owners hadn’t received their registration renewal notice by the end of March, they should contact the council.
“If you have recently moved to the City of Casey, you can transfer your existing registration from any municipality in Victoria over to the City of Casey,” he said.
“In the year of transfer, you will not have to pay anything to the City of Casey and your dog or cat registration will be valid.
“It is also important to notify the council if your animal passes away or moves outside the municipality so we can update our records.”
Animal registrations can be paid online at www.casey.vic.gov.au/petsor via BPAY, Australia Post or over the phone by calling customer service on 9705 5200.

POLICE are investigating after intruders broke into a Cranbourne house and doused the rooms in talcum powder and cleaning liquids.
It’s believed the intruders forced their way into the Dearing Avenue home sometime between 3pm on Sunday 27 March and 5pm on Friday 1 April.
Nothing was stolen during the incident.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or make a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

THE sense of a shared challenge and a shared purpose are what drive Sue Hoffman and Lesley Grimes’ commitment to the Oxfam Trailwalker.
The annual, 48-hour, 100-kilometre, team event raises funds for Oxfam projects here and overseas.
One of the world’s leading team endurance challenges, more than 700 teams are registered for the Melbourne event that starts on Friday 8 April at Jells Park and finishes at Wesburn on 10 April.
The route goes through the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley national parks and along the Warburton Trail before crossing Mount Little Joe in to Wesburn.
Lesley, manager at the Yarra Centre in Yarra Junction, is looking forward to her 10th Trailwalker as part of a 40s/50s running team with experienced runners Julia Thorn and Robyn Fletcher and first-timer Kim Nanscawen.
As a running coach, Lesley says she loves the running aspect of the event and has been part of two teams that have taken line honours in their section.
She says the biggest challenge is the mental challenge, with the last stretch along the Warburton Trail hitting hardest.
“It’s pretty tough from Woori; 30ks of dead flat and it’s where a lot of the carnage happens,” she said.
“I really feel for the walking teams; I reckon it’s much harder for them.”
Lesley says Trailwalker is a journey that teaches a lot of life lessons including insights and personal reactions under stress.
“You’re out there for 100ks and you have to be flexible and go with the flow.
The pay-off comes with the final run through to the finish line at Wesburn Park.
“You realise anything is possible,” Lesley said.
Sue, from Warburton, has also been involved for more than a decade, starting as support crew for husband David in 2005.
Over the years she has done everything from working in head office, helping organise the volunteer roster to manning the phones at event control, marshalling, car parking and as a general ‘gofer’.
She has enormous admiration for the teams, and for Oxfam teams saying it is one of the best organised and professionally run events she has been involved in.
She agrees that the atmosphere at the finish line is worth all the hard work.
“It’s just fantastic, especially when you see people you know coming in and you know what they have gone through to get there.”
“I would encourage anyone to put their hand up to be part of the volunteer team, there are always places to fill and so many different roles.”
Lesley’s advice for anyone considering doing the Trailwalker is give it a go in 2017.
“My team runs all year and you can do it if you have a good fitness background, otherwise, you need at least 16 weeks of training,” she said.
The Trailwalker finishes at Wesburn Park with teams expected to filter in from late Friday night to Sunday morning.
To volunteer, register for 2017, or donate, visit trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/melbourne/

THE Ocean Grove Community Association is calling for State and Federal funding for what will likely be the town’s largest footpath project ever.
In a 24 March submission to the Greater Geelong City Council, community association president Michael Harbour said the project was a great opportunity to attract State and Federal government money.
“It’s to reduce the burden on residents,” he said.
Mr Harbour is calling on the State and Federal governments to contribute $500,000 each to the $6 million project, to reduce costs for the council and the community.
“It could be implemented as a single project over a five-year program,” he said.
“If tendered and implemented as a single project then we could save costs by having a bulk contact.”
Mr Harbour said the community association would only support Option 3 out of the three options listed in the council’s community survey last month: that all property owners should pay.
Under all three options, the council will pay for 50 per cent of the project.
“The Principal Pedestrian Network (PPN) is a community asset and not the sole responsibility of a single street or individual property owners,” he said.
He added this should not include new developments – where developers pay for the paths, and arterial roads – such Grubb Road – which VicRoads should pay for.
After reviewing the council’s proposed PPN Mr Harbour said it “addresses the need for this vital infrastructure”.
“It will enable the Ocean Grove community to be physically connected to the key destinations within and around Ocean Grove,” he said.
“The paths appear to be appropriately located, but may need some fine tuning based on the feedback the council receives.”
Mr Harbour said the project could conceivably commence in July 2017 and be completed by June 2022.
“We are happy to meet with the COGG to discuss our proposals,” he said.

Geelong Council’s City Services acting general manager Vicki Shelton said the council would welcome partnerships with all levels of government to deliver improved infrastructure.

A MAN who allegedly caused a five car pile-up on the Monash Freeway in Endeavour Hills Monday morning 4 April has stolen one of the victim’s cars and sped off.
Police said a man was driving inbound on the freeway near Heatherton Road, about 8.30am Monday morning, when he hit another car, which then led to three other cars being hit.
The driver of the first car then hit a truck.
When everyone got out of their cars to exchange numbers one of the male drivers offered to help one of the female victims move her Suzuki Swift.
He got in the car and drove away from the scene.
No weapons were used during the incident, police said, but one woman was taken to hospital as a precaution.
The man is still on the run.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au