Dog owners in Vienna can register their pets for free in the nationwide pet database until the end of October, the City of Vienna has announced.

A mobile Stadtservice Wien office will be touring the city’s districts. Owners can register their dogs directly at these mobile offices or through the ID Austria system.

Like microchipping, dog registration is compulsory, and failing to meet either the microchipping or registration requirements could result in a fine of up to €7,500.

The free registration campaign removes the usual registration fee of around €20, saving money for dog owners.

Around 500 stray dogs are found in Vienna each year. Although most of these animals are microchipped, only about 40% are registered in the pet database, which complicates efforts to return them to their rightful owners.

The city has reported that the campaign has been well received, with around ten new registrations per week.

Since 2010, all dogs kept in Austria must be microchipped and registered under the Animal Welfare Act. Dogs imported from other EU countries must also be microchipped.