Dog Owner Responsibilities

As the owner or person in charge of a dog, you have certain responsibilities and legal requirements under the Dog Control Act 2000. The following outlines the main responsibilities:

• Registering all dogs over the age of six months with Council.
• Keeping your dog on a lead (no longer than two metres) when you are walking in a public place including a road, footpath, park, beach or town. This does not apply to off leash areas, but the dog still needs to be under effective control. (Effective Control means your dog in close proximity, in visual sight and the person in charge of the dog is able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of an authorised person that the dog is immediately responsive to the person’s commands). 
• Ensuring that the dog does not roam and that it is under your effective control at all times.
• Restricting your dog sufficiently while it is in or on a vehicle so that it is unable to leave the vehicle or attack any person or animal outside the vehicle.
• Preventing your dog from rushing at or chasing a person, animal, moving vehicle or bicycle whilst in a public place.
• Ensuring that a female dog in heat is confined and away from public space.
• Immediately cleaning up after your dog in a public place.

Ensure that your dog is implanted with a micro-chip and the details of that chip are supplied to Council upon application of dog registration.

Under the Act you are required to apply to Council for a kennel licence if you intend to keep:

• More than two dogs over the age of six months; or
• More than four working dogs over the age of six months.

For more information on kennel licences please contact Council on 6443 8333.

The owner of a dog that is over 6 months of age must ensure that the dog is implanted with an approved microchip.

This does not apply to –

• A dog which a veterinary surgeon has issued a certificate stating that to implant the dog with a microchip may adversely affect the health and welfare of the dog.
• Specified racing greyhounds, all working dogs, and specified hunting dogs.

If a dog that is required to be implanted with a microchip is not implanted and is seized in accordance with The Act, then the General Manager may assert the dog to be implanted with an approved microchip. The owner of the dog is liable for the costs associated with the implanting.

This also applies to all dogs that have been registered with Council before the 1st July 2011 unless the dog is classed as exempt.

Note: It is not required for a working dog to be microchipped. However, by having your dog microchipped will help Council locate the owner of a lost dog.

Council understands that there are a number of businesses within the community that benefit from owning and using a working dog. By providing proof that your dog is a working dog, you are eligible to a discounted fee. Examples of proof include; the breed of your dog, the address that the dog works at, a letter from your employer or if you are the owner of the farming property, you need to provide a primary producer number.

A working dog is classified by the below criteria.

working dog means a dog used principally for –

• Droving or tending livestock; or
• Detecting illegal substances; or
• Searching, tracking or rescuing; or
• Working with police officers.

A hunting dog is not classified as a working dog as stated in The Act.

A hunting dog means a dog used principally for hunting.

If you believe your dog is classified as a ‘working dog’, please provide Council with the above information and a Council officers will then assess and determine if you qualify for a registration discount.

Please note: working dogs are not exempt from registration but are from microchipping.

Yes!  You are always required and expected to immediately clean up after your dog when they are in a public place.  Cleaning up can be done simply and easily with the aid of a scooper or plastic bag, the collected product can be placed into the nearest rubbish bin.

This does not apply to a guide dog that is accompanying a wholly or partially blind person.