I agree about the over-inflated prices of dog registration. I was shocked when we first moved from Australia in 2006, as we were paying much less.

So I checked my facts and see that in 2014 Adelaide City Council has a sliding scale of rates that reflect a responsible owner : de-sexed, micro-chipped and trained (essential for all humans). If you do all three, rates go down from $72 to $28.80.

We travel with our dog and when we encounter plastic bag dispensers we also notice less droppings left on the ground. It would be interesting to know if the councils that provide them have noticed a decline as well. Responsible dog ownership should be appreciated and rewarded.

S Evans, Matua.