Dog Ownership Responsibilities

The Dog Control Act 1996, in conjunction with the Council's Dog Control Bylaw (PDF, 681 KB), requires dog owners to:

• Ensure that your dog is registered on or before the age of three months. Annual registration renewal is required on or before 1 July each year.
• When registering your dog, provide the Council with your:
  1. Full name
  2. Date of birth
  3. Contact address
  4. Address where the dog will ordinarily be kept
  5. Description of your dog - including breed, colour and any distinguishing marks
  6. Age of the dog
  7. Whether your dog is classified as dangerous or menacing and why
  8. The sex of the dog, including whether it is neutered or not
  9. Description of any tattoo or microchip that may provide permanent identification of your dog
• Ensure that your dog wears a collar with a current registration tag affixed.
• Notify the Council in writing of any change of address or ownership of a dog within 14 days.
• Keep your dog under control at all times, and ensure it does not attack any person or any other animal.
• Ensure that your dog receives proper care and attention and that you supply your dog with adequate food, water, shelter and exercise.
• Ensure that your dog is leashed when it is in a public place.
• Pick up your dog's faeces when this occurs outside your property.
• Contain your dog if it has a contagious disease.
• Take all reasonable steps to ensure that the dog does not cause a nuisance to any other person, whether by persistent and loud barking, howling, or by any other means.
• Take all responsible steps to ensure that your dog does not injure, endanger, intimidate or otherwise cause distress to any person.
• Take all reasonable steps to ensure that your dog does not injure, endanger or cause distress to any stock, poultry, domestic animal or protected wildlife.
• Take all reasonable steps to ensure your dog does not damage or endanger any property belonging to another person.
• Keep your dog confined to your property in such a manner that it can not freely leave your property, or ensure your dog is under the direct control of a person.

Preventing dog attacks

Up to 77% of dog attacks come from a family dog or a friend's dog. Educating yourself and your children of a dog's body language and other signs a dog may be in distress could help prevent an attack before it occurs.

Find more information at StopThe77.com »