What to do if your dog or cat is lost, stolen, sold or given away

If you sell or give away your cat, it is your responsibility to update the new owner’s details on the Companion Animals Register at Council by calling (02) 6660 0300. The Companion Animal Change of Address form can be used to notify Council of a cat’s change of address.

Failure to notify Council of a change of address or owner can result in a fine.

If you find a dog or cat and cannot locate its owner, you must return it to the Council Ranger or to a approved premises such as a local veterinarian or animal shelter. Failure to do so can result in a fine.

If your cat is lost or stolen, you will need to report to Council to have the animal listed as missing on the Companion Animals Register at Council by calling (02) 6660 0300. This will allow any authority (Council ranger, veterinarian or animal rescue organisation) to identify cats when found. Should you locate your cat, please ensure you make contact with Council again to have the animal removed from the missing cat list.

Microchipping

You must have your dog or cat implanted with a microchip by the time of 12 weeks of age, at point of sale or change of ownership (whichever occurs first). Enquire with your preferred veterinarian for micro-chipping services.
Failure to microchip a dog/cat will incur a fine.

Registration

You must register your cat with Council before it reaches six months of age. You should plan to have your cat desexed if you choose so before registration so as to pay the reduced price. To register your cat, visit the Casino Administration Office bringing with you:

• Microchip number
• Desexing certificate from your veterinarian
• Pension card to attract pension discount if applicable
• Assistance animal statement from an authorised assistance animal trainer or organisation
• Breed papers or breeder membership certificate
• Payment to be made by cash, cheque or EFTPOS

The following registration payments are applicable as of October 2020 and should be confirmed with Council’s Administration Office:

Cats

• Non-desexed + Annual permit: $59
• Desexed: $59
• Desexed pensioner: $29
• Pound/shelter (desexed): $0
• Recognised breeder : $59

Failure to register or keep a cat identifiable can incur on the spot fines.

** New annual permits as of July 1 2020

• Since 1 July 2020, owners of cats are required to pay an annual $85 fee if their cat is not desexed by four months of age.
• An additional $19 late fee is payable if the permit is not paid for by 28 days after the permit requirement takes effect.

Dogs

• Desexed: $69
• Non-desexed: $234
• Recognised breeder: $69
• Pensioner concession (desexed only): $29
• Pound/shelter (desexed): $0
• Working dog: $0
• Police dog: $0
• Assistance animal: $0
• Not desexed – animal with written notification from vet that it should not be desexed (Not recommended): $69

Failure to register or keep a dog identifiable can incur on-the-spot fines.

** New annual permits as of July 1 2020

• Since 1 July 2020, owners of declared Dangerous Dogs or declared Restricted Dogs are required to pay a $206 annual permit. 
• An additional $19 late fee is payable if the permit is not paid for by 28 days after the permit requirement takes effect.

Responsible cat ownership

There are a number of steps you need to take as a responsible cat owner as required by the Companion Animals Act (1998).

• Microchip your cat at your preferred veterinarian
• Register your cat with Council
• Keep your cat identifiable
• Keep your cat away from places where cats cannot go

Cat identification

Keeping a collar and tag on your cat allows local authorities to identify your cat. This should include the name of the cat and the address or telephone number of the owner.

A fine will apply to cats found in public not wearing proper identification.

Nuisance cats

You must ensure your cat does not interfere with the peace, comfort or convenience of any person in any other premises. Your cat may also not repeatedly damage anything outside the property of which it is normally kept.

If your cat has been reported as a nuisance cat, you may be issued with a nuisance cat order. Failure to comply with a nuisance cat order will incur a fine.

To report a nuisance cat, contact Council’s customer service team on 6660 0300.

Places where cats cannot go

Cats cannot go into the following areas:

• Wildlife protection areas
• Food preparation or consumption areas

A fine will apply to cats found in prohibited places.

Responsible dog ownership

There are a number of steps you need to take as a responsible dog owner as required by the Companion Animals Act (1998). 

We have provided informative links below to answer your questions.  For further information about being a responsible dog owner, view the Responsible Pet Ownership page at the Office of Local Government website.

For further information about additional rules and allowances made for rural and working dogs, view the Working Dogs section on that website.

Dog identification

Keeping a collar and tag on your dog allows local authorities to identify your dog. This should include the name of the dog and the address or telephone number of the owner.

A fine will apply to dogs found in public not wearing proper identification.

Dogs that require muzzling

Greyhounds must be muzzled at all times when in a public place, except if the greyhound has successfully completed an approved greyhound retraining program and the greyhound wears an approved collar when it is in a public place.

Any restricted or dangerous dogs must be muzzled when in a public place.

Keep control of  your dog

There are a number of things you need to do to keep control of your dog:

• If your dog is in a public place it must be under the effective control of a competent person by means of an adequate chain or leash (except for dogs exhibited in shows, participating in obedience or agility trials, secured in a cage or in an off-leash area).
• If your dog is being exercised in an approved off-leash area, it must always be under effective control of a competent person.
• You are not permitted to walk more than four dogs at any one time.
• You must maintain appropriate fencing to ensure your dog does not escape your property.

Failure to prevent a dog from escaping will incur a fine.

A dog found in a public place not on a lead will incur a fine.

Keeping your dogs safe during storm season

If there is one thing that keeps our rangers busy, it is answering calls from worried pet owners following a storm. Summer storms can be noisy and scary, especially for dogs. Dogs have a very acute sense of hearing which makes them particularly sensitive to thunderstorms. Some dogs will develop a fear for storms as they get older, in others it is just something they are born with, and then some animals are fearful of storms due to a previous bad experience.

If you are home during a storm, and if possible, bring your dog inside or into a garage. Try to comfort them but do not coddle them as it can often make the situation worse the next time. If your dog is an outside dog it is important to ensure your fencing is secure and safe, so if your dog does get scared or frantic they cannot escape. Provide them with an area, shelter or kennel, where they can retreat to and protect themselves from the wind, rain and hail. You can also try distracting them from the storm by playing with them.

Most importantly do not punish them for being scared of the storm, but instead keep them company and talk to them. By making the storm a positive experience they are less likely to be as anxious during the next storm or when they sense a storm is coming.

Also ensure your dog is microchipped so he or she can be easily identified if found by our rangers, and retuned home not taken to the pound.

Nuisance dogs

You must ensure your dog does not interfere with the peace, comfort or convenience of any person in any other premises. Your dog may also not repeatedly damage anything outside the property of which it is normally kept.

If your dog has been reported as a nuisance dog, you may be issued with a nuisance dog order. Failure to comply with a nuisance dog order will incur a fine.

To report a nuisance dog, contact Council’s Customer Service team on 6660 0300.

To report a dog’s nuisance barking, download the Barking Dog Complaint Investigation & Action Protocol document listed at the end of this page and return the appropriate forms within to Council’s Casino administration office.

Places where dogs cannot go

Dogs cannot go into the following areas:

•  Children’s play areas
• Recreation areas
•  Public bathing areas
• School grounds
• Child care centres
• Shopping areas
• Wildlife protection areas
• Food preparation or consumption areas

A fine of will apply to dogs found in prohibited places.

Picking up dog poo in public places

It is your responsibility to pick up your dog’s waste when they defecate in a public place.
Failure to do so can incur a fine.

Restricted dogs and dangerous dogs

Owners of restricted or dangerous dogs must advise Council’s Regulatory Control team on (02) 6660 0300 within 24 hours if a restricted or dangerous dog:

• has attacked or injured a person or animal
• the animal is lost
• the owner’s details have changed
• the dog has changed address

It is an offence to sell, acquire or breed dogs on the restricted breeds list:

• American pitbull terrier or Pitbull terrier
• Japanese tosa
• Dogo Argentino (Argentinean fighting dog)
• Fila Brasiliero (Brazilian fighting dog)
• Any other breed determined by importation under Commonwealth law to be prohibited
• Any dog declared by Council under Division 6 of the Act to be a restricted dog

A Council can declare a dog a restricted dog if it believes the dog is of a breed on the restricted dog list, or is a cross-breed of a restricted breed.

If Council issues you with a ‘Notice of Intention to Declare a Dog to be a Restricted Dog’, you have 28 days to have the dog’s breed and temperament assessed. You should contact the Regulatory Control team on (02) 6660 0300 to discuss the process further.

Dangerous dogs are:  

• dogs who have without provocation attacked or killed a person or animal or repeatedly threatened to attack or repeatedly chased a person or animal.
• dogs that have displayed unreasonable aggression towards a person or animal
• dogs that have been the subject of a declaration made by a Council or a court

There are a number of control requirements for dangerous dogs, of which Council’s Regulatory Control team can explain in full. A summary is below:

• All restricted and dangerous dogs must be desexed
• You cannot sell or give away a restricted or dangerous dog, or one that is subject to a Notice To Declare as Dangerous or Restricted
• The dog must be in the care of a person 18 years of age or older at all times
• There are specific enclosure requirements for restricted or dangerous dogs
• Warning signs must be clearly displayed on property boundaries

Failure to comply with any of the control requirements can incur a fine of $1,760. A maximum penalty of $55,000 or two years jail if the dog attack or bites another person and may result in the seizure and destruction of the dog.

For further information, view the NSW Office of Local Government website.

To advise Council of your compliance with fencing and enclosure of your dangerous and restricted dog, please complete the Dangerous or Restricted Dogs Enclosure Compliance Application form listed at the end of this page and return to Council’s Casino administration office.