Under state legislation, it is a requirement for all dogs and cats aged 3 months and over to be microchipped and registered.
Registering your pet, ensuring that they wear their Council tag and keeping your contact details current is the best way to keep them safe and to have them returned home to you if they do get out.
Dogs and cats that are currently registered and are wearing their tag will, in most cases, be taken straight back home to you and not taken to the pound, avoiding extra costs for you.
Council would much rather your pet be safe and securely confined at home than on the road or even in our care, and to make the registration process easy for you, use the Animal Registration Form and sign your pet up now!
To receive animal notices for the 2022-2023 year by email rather than by paper, please Register Online.
Application fees and how to pay below.
Registration of domestic animals is required under the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
All dogs and cats aged 3 months of age or older must be registered. Registration renewal is due on 10 April each year, and renewal notices are sent out automatically. For details on how to pay, please go to our pay online page.
To register your pet for the first time you need to complete an Animal Registration Form. Complete this form and bring it into the nearest Customer Service Centre, along with your payment and documents as required on the form.
To receive future notices by email rather than by paper, please Register Online.
Residential areas:
2 cats, 2 dogs, no guinea fowl or roosters, 4 poultry hens, no roosters, 4 domestic birds, 4 domestic mice, 2 guinea pigs, 2 domestic rabbits.
No other livestock is allowed. Puppies or kittens of registered dogs and cats are not included in these numbers for the first 16 weeks after their birth.
Farming areas:
6 cats, 6 dogs, 20 guinea fowl and roosters, 20 poultry including 2 roosters, 100 domestic birds, 10 domestic mice, 10 guinea pigs, 2 domestic rabbits.
Puppies or kittens of registered dogs and cats are not counted in these numbers for the first 16 weeks after their birth.
If you want to Keep more than the prescribed amount of animals please complete the Application to Keep More Than Allowed Animals.
Read more Animal registration fees and classifications - valid 11 April 2020 to 10 April 2021.
Volunteers from Victorian Animal Aid manage the Animal Shelter on behalf of Council, located at 40 Giles Street Bairnsdale.
Monday - Friday - 11:00 am to 3.00pm
Weekends and Public Holidays- 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
40 Giles Street, Bairnsdale
Tel. 5152 1389
If you've lost a pet, check the Animal Aid Lost pets website.
What should you do if your pet is missing?
If you would like to adopt a pet, please visit Adopt an Animal at Victorian Animal Aid.
Council supports a free Responsible Pet Ownership program and has a number of fact sheets to assist. The Victorian Government website also has a wealth of information around pet ownership; from tips on choosing the right pet, looking after the welfare of your pet and looking at your legal responsibilities as a pet owner.
In summary, some of your responsibilities include:
Under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 you may be responsible for any damage or injury caused by your dog if it attacks a person or animal. Help prevent dog attacks by always supervising your dog around children or other animals.
If Council receives a complaint about your dog it may be declared 'dangerous' or ‘menacing’, depending on its behaviour. Council will notify you if this happens and give you an opportunity to comment.
You will have 28 days to appeal to Council against a declaration.
If your dog is declared dangerous or menacing, strict controls apply. You must:
The leaflet Dangerous Dogs has more information.
The Domestic Animals Act 1994 defines a nuisance being when a dog creates a noise, by barking or otherwise, which persistently occurs or continues to such a degree or extent that it unreasonably interferes with the peace, comfort or convenience of any person.
Barking dog problems are rarely solved by enforcement action. If you are annoyed by the noise from your neighbour’s dog, try to solve the problem first by talking it over with your neighbours. They may not realise their dog is causing a problem and in many cases they will be happy to do what they can to help. If this fails, you can make a complaint to Council.
Sample Barking Dog Neighbour Advise Letter