A FLAGSTONE veterinary clinic has been forced to confront the challenge of reuniting lost dogs with their owners.
Flagstone Vet Love practice manager Kyleen Wells said an average of three to five roaming dogs were being left with the clinic every week.
"Dogs get handed in several days a week, usually after a good Samartian finds them wandering, often on the side of the road," she said.
"Being able to reunite the pet with the owners is one of the biggest challenges clinic staff face. Lack of identification is the one main reason for this problem. Microchips are the most reliable measure of identification...
"We once had five dogs come in on one day and we couldn't find any of their owners. They were roaming the streets."
Ms Wells said some pet owners needed to better educate themselves on how to maintain control of their pets.
Secure fencing and desexing pets at an early age were identified as two factors which can reduce the rate of stray dogs.
"According tor recent statistics, 80 per cent of dogs in Australia are desexed, but over 80 per cent of impounded dogs are not desexed," Ms Wells said.
"If you are on a tight budget, keep an eye open for initiatives such as Operation Wanted by the RSPCA or the National Desexing Network which are due to roll out soon at many veterinary clinics.
"Depending on several factors, animal release fees from the Logan City Council Animal Management Centre can be up to $450 for a registered pet. The cost can be even higher if your pet is not registered..."
Pets impounded three times in a 12 month period may not be returned to the owner.
The council may apply a discretion for a dog to be returned to an owner for a fourth time depending on the circumstances of the incident.
Logan City Council data shows 21 stray dogs were impounded in the Flagstone area over the past three months.
A Logan City Council spokesperson said the rate of impounded dogs had dropped across the city over the past financial year.
"For the broader Flagstone area the numbers of wandering dogs collected in the 2017/2018 financial year compared to the 2019/2019 financial year reduced by 30 per cent," the spokesperson said.
Logan City Council flagged changes to pet ownership laws earlier this year.
Residents were asked to provide feedback through surveys and consultation events.