COMPANION ANIMALS ACT IN REGARD TO WORKING DOGS

Registration of companion animals (cats and dogs) is a requirement under the Companion Animals Act 1998.

Cats born before 1 July 1999 are exempt from registration, unless they have changed owners since this date.

Registration of companion animals is a two staged process:

• First requirement is to have the animal implanted with a microchip,
• Secondly the animal is then required to be registered with Council, step two can not be undertaken without step 1.
• One-off fees are applicable for the lifetime registration of all animals except 'working dogs', which are required to be registered but no fee is applicable. The definition of a 'working dog' under the Companion Animals Act 1998 is:
  Means a dog used primarily for the purpose of droving, tending, working or protecting stock, and includes a dog being trained as a working dog.

Hunting dogs and guard dogs do not have any special status as working dogs under the Companion Animals Act. If an animal is kept for purposes other than that of a pet, it does classify it as a 'working dog'.

Under the Companion Animals Regulation 2008, dogs that meet the definition of a 'working dog' are exempt from microchipping and registering when:

The working dog resides on land defined and rated as farmland under the Local Government Act 1993.

All other working dogs MUST be microchipped and registered.

The lifetime registration fees are set by the Legislation, not Council's, and are as follows:

* $150 for all undesexed dogs;
* $40 for desexed dogs;
* $40 for a dog owned by a recognized breeder;
* $15 for pensioners with desexed dogs;
* $0 for working dogs.

If you require further information in relation to the Companion Animals Act please contact Council on (02) 65680221.

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