Animal registration

Dog or cat registration

Click here for - Animal Registration Form

Click Here for - Current Fees and Charges

Loddon Shire Council encourages responsible pet ownership throughout its administration of the requirements of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 ("the Act").

Every dog and cat over the age of three months must be registered with the local council where it resides. Existing registrations must be renewed by 10 April each year.

Dogs and cats being registered for the first time with Council are required to provide evidence that they have a microchip.  A desexing certificate is also required if applying for the relevant fee concession.

Registering your dog or cat greatly improves their chances of being returned to you if they become lost. Registration fees provide a whole range of other important services too.  These include:
  • a Council registration tag for your pet to wear
  • if your pet is found wandering and wearing its registration tag you will be notified and reunited quickly
  • if your pet has lost its registration tag and is microchipped, Council officers can scan your pet and obtain owners details to contact you (ensure your details are kept up to date with the applicable microchip register)
  • Council services to respond to calls about wandering dogs or dog attacks. This includes the removal of aggressive dogs from the streets
  • Council services to deal with nuisance problems, eg. barking dogs
  • Council control of "dangerous", "menacing" and "restricted breed" dogs in your area
  • Council monitoring of boarding kennels, catteries, breeding and training businesses
The requirement for your dog or cat to wear a council registration tag when outside its property is a requirement of the Act (some exemptions for working dogs do apply).  A "life time tag" is issued at the time of initial animal registration.  If you lose your pet's registration tag at anytime or if the registration number becomes illegible, please contact Loddon Shire Council for a replacement free of charge.
 
Further information on pet registration can be obtained from Local Laws staff on (03) 5494 1200.

 

Domestic animal businesses

The Act provides that the following types of businesses which operate within the municipality must register their business with Council:
  • Pet shops
  • Boarding premises for dogs and cats
  • Dog training establishments'
  • Animal shelters
  • Breeding and rearing premises for dogs and cats

All domestic animal businesses must renew registration annually, pay the registration fee and be subject to annual inspection review.

Our officers inspect all premises to ensure compliance with the Act and the requirements of the relevant code of practice.

A planning permit will be required prior to any domestic animal business registration being issued. 

You should contact Council’s Planning Department on (03) 5494 1200 to discuss your proposal.

A breeding and rearing domestic animal business - what is it?

Your domestic animal business is a breeding and rearing premises if you breed cats and dogs to sell (whether a profit is made or not) and you have three or more fertile female dogs or cats and you are not a member of an "applicable organisation" as defined by the Act. If you are a member of an applicable organisation, you are exempt from registering as a breeding Domestic Animal Business if you have less than 10 fertile female dogs or cats AND no more than two are not registered with an applicable organisation.

Apply for a domestic animal business registration

To apply for registration, renewal of registration, or to transfer the registration to a proposed new owner, contact Council's Local Laws staff on (03) 5494 1200.

Related Information

Current fees and charges

Animal registration form

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