Local Government
4. Regulation of Animals
Authors: Staff Legal Eagle
Firm / Chambers:
Last updated: 15 Aug 2015
- Local governments are able to make and enforce a wide range of laws about animals.
- Laws can be made about:
- how many pets you can keep;
- where and how they must be kept;
- desexing of companion animals;
- the keeping of animals for breeding purposes or breeding animals for sale;
- prohibitions on the keeping of certain types of animals such as roosters in urban areas;
- what public places animals can be taken into; and
- how you must clean up their droppings.
- Local governments may employ authorised officers who are allowed to enter certain places without a search warrant.
- The authorised officers can demand documents, ask questions and inspect animals.
- To enter a private house they need a search warrant.
- If you have purchased a new dog or cat you must register your pet with the local government body once it is three months old.
- This registration must be renewed yearly.
- The local government body will send you an identification tag that must be worn by your pet when it is not at home.
- You may receive a fine if your pet is not wearing the tag.
- Some councils require pets to be micro-chipped or de-sexed before they agree to register the pet.
- If your dog is ‘menacing, dangerous or restricted’ additional requirements will apply.
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