Owners of elephants beware – it costs $20 to get them out of the pound if they stray in Tauranga.

"Is this true?" councillor Kevin Mowat asked at a committee meeting this week to set users fees.

Mr Mowat was assured that elephants were listed with horses, cattle, deer, asses, mules and pigs as warranting a $20 impound fee.

Councillor Malcolm Cantwell said it likely dated back to the days when elephants got away from travelling circuses.

Remarking on the $20 fee for asses, councillor Bill Faulkner said: "We could do quite well out of that."