Responsible Pet Ownership

Council encourages all pet owners to be responsible for their pet’s actions. Dogs and Cats ONLY are referred to as “companion animals”.

There are things you can do to be a responsible pet owner:

  • Ensure your dog and/or cat is microchipped and registered,
  • Update your registration details by contacting Council or online at www.petregistry.nsw.gov.au when you move house or change your contact number/s,
  • Make sure your pet is identified with a collar and tag,
  • Keep your pet in your yard,
  • Consider desexing your pet,
  • Always keep your dog on a leash in public unless in an off-leash area, and
  • Clean up after your pet.

Desexing

All owners are encouraged to desex their pets. The cost of registration is less for desexed pets with proof of sterilisation (Desexing Certificate) and further discounts are available for desexed pets owned by an eligible pensioner.

  • Early desexing can eliminate the risk of serious diseases including reproductive cancers.
  • Desexed dogs and cats can grow up cleaner, healthier, quieter and more home loving.
  • Desexed dogs and cats are less likely to become fat, unless they are overfed and/or under exercised.
  • Desexed dogs and cats are much less aggressive than 'entire' dogs and make much safer family pets particularly for families with young children.
  • Desexing a cat significantly reduces antisocial behaviour such as fighting, roaming and 'spraying'.

Thousands of unwanted puppies and kittens are destroyed by animal welfare agencies each year because there are simply not enough homes for them. Please desex your pets.

Deceased Pets

In the interest of maintaining an accurate NSW Companion Animal Register, owners are asked to inform us about their deceased pets.

Information required to update the records includes:

  • Microchip number,
  • Owner’s name and address,
  • Approximate date that the animal passed away.

Council's Church Street Office have Deceased Animal Declaration Forms available from the front desk.

What to do if you sell or give away your dog or cat

It is the responsibility of the 'old' owner (the person selling or giving away the animal) to notify Council of the change. This can be done online at www.petregistry.nsw.gov.au or a 'Change of Ownership' form can be collected from Council. This form will need to be signed by both the 'old' owner as well as the 'new' owner in order for Council to process the change. Failure to notify Council of the change may result in a Penalty Infringement Notice being issued.

What to do if you move address or your details change

Pet owners should make sure that their contact information listed on the NSW Pet Register is always up to date and current. If your pet goes missing and you cannot be contacted your animal will be impounded, if the animal is not claimed it will become the property of Council.

Keep cats indoors

There are very good reasons to keep your cat/s inside at night:

  • All cats hunt regardless of how well fed they are. Cats usually hunt at night.
  • Most cat fights occur at night.
  • Most vehicle accidents involving cats occur at night.
  • Cats can also cause considerable damage to the environment if allowed to wander.

Keeping your cat/s or kitten/s indoors at night will prevent around 90% of all cat-related complaints.

Confining cats is quite easy

Cats should not be fed until it is time for them to be confined. Once you invite them in to be fed, keep them in for the night.

If your cat is well behaved you can let them roam freely inside or secure the cat in a convenient room where they have a bed and a litter tray if you need to.

For those who don’t like cats indoors at all then the garden shed or garage is a suitable alternative for confinement.

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