Domestic Animal Management

Minimum Standards for Keeping Animals

Choosing a pet is something you and your family should consider carefully — do you like smaller, easy to care for house pets or larger animals that might live outside?
If you are considering adding a dog or puppy to your family, make sure you get it from a responsible owner or breeder.
Breeders must now meet new laws when breeding dogs and they must also give you a supply number when you take ownership of the dog or puppy.

There are a number of responsibilities pet owners need to meet including:

  • caring for the animal properly and providing for its needs
  • identification (i.e. microchipping) and registration
  • responsible ownership (e.g. desexing)
  • effective control of regulated dogs (i.e. dangerous, menacing or restricted dogs).

If your dog becomes pregnant and has a litter you need to meet dog breeding laws and register as a dog breeder.

Please download the below factsheet for the minimum standards required for keeping animals.

Minimum Standard for Keeping Animals Fact Sheet

Got a problem with a barking dog?

When you have an excessively barking dog in your neighbourhood, first try talking to the dog’s owner to ensure they’re aware of the problem and see if they can do something about it, below is a letter you can print and send to the owner of the dog/s.

Barking Dog Letter

After speaking with the dog’s owner, and they agree to do something about the barking, wait a few weeks to see if they’ve been successful in their efforts. Your support and ongoing feedback about the dog's behaviour can help the dog owner resolve the problem.

You can raise a service request with Council if talking to the owner doesn’t work.

Council will investigate and, if necessary, issue a compliance notice to the dog’s owner.

If a dog owner doesn’t comply with the compliance notice, they can be fined.

If you have a problem with a barking dog near you please download the below form and keep a diary of when it is barking. This will help provide evidence to Council for their investigation.

Barking Dog Diary

Barking Collars

Council hire out a number of barking collars. The deposit is $100, which includes the hire of the collar for 14 days. If the collar is returned within the 14 day period in a clean and undamaged condition, your deposit is refunded in full. To hire out a barking collar, visit Council's Administration Office in St George. Please note Council will not be liable for any injury caused as a result of using Council's barking collars, please exercise reasonable caution when using.

Barking Collar Hire Form

Need a cat or dog trap?

To assist in the number of stray cats and dogs roaming the Shire, Council hire out a number of cat and dog traps. The deposit is $100, which includes the hire of the trap for 14 days. If the trap is returned within the 14 day period in a clean and undamaged condition, your deposit is refunded in full. To hire out a cat or dog trap, visit Council's Administration Office in St George. Please note: All dogs and cats caught in Council traps must be handed over to Council. Council traps are not to be used for any other purpose but that to trap cats and dogs (i.e. not native fauna).

Dog and Cat Trap Hire Form

Surrendering Your Pet to Council

Council understands that situations come up and change, and that you may find that you can no longer keep your pet. If you find you are in a position where you can no longer keep your pet, you can surrender the animal to Council who will take every reasonable effort to appropriately re-home the animal. To surrender a pet, please contact Council and speak with one of our Compliance Officers about the surrender procedure.

Animal Surrender Form

Quick Guides on Animal Management

Keeping your cat safe and happy at home

Whether you’ve just adopted a new cat or kitten, or are considering how best to care for your existing cat, this guide is for you. The idea that all cats need to roam outdoors has changed; many owners now provide a safe and suitable environment for their cat at home all day, every day.

RSPCA Guide to Keeping Your Cat Safe and Happy at Home

Council Targets Wandering Dogs

In response to this community-wide issue, we are broadening our patrols to help combat roaming dogs. Our compliance officers will patrol throughout the day and at time throughout the night.

Unfortunately, funding limits our ability to provide longer patrols as well as weekend patrols for our community, and this is the reason why the domestic dog levy was introduced to help fund some of these additional patrols residents are requesting.

What to do if you are being menaced and how to report wandering dogs.

  • All residents are asked to report these issues preferably by the free app called Snap Send Solve. This way, a picture of the offending dog forms hard evidence on which we can fine neglectful owners.
  • The second best way is to phone Council on (07) 4620 8888 if the incident is during business hours.
  • If a dog is menacing you out of hours, phone our On-Call number 0407 253 858.

We take this opportunity to thank the 90% of community members who are responsible pet owners.