Companion Animal Act

> Companion Animals Act legislation

When the Companion Animals Act was introduced in 1999, dog owners were given three years to transfer from annual to lifetime registration. By September 2002, all dogs must be lifetime registered and micro-chipped.

For more information about registration, please phone North Sydney Council on 9936 8100 or visit the Department of Local Government's companion animal page on its website http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/.

Dogs

The Companion Animals Act says that a dog must always be under effective control when off the owners property - that is, it must be on a lead unless in a specified area. It must also be well socialised and trained.

Key points of the Act affecting dogs:

• a dog must never be trained to attack
• dog droppings must always be picked up from a public place
• if a dog is a nuisance action must be taken to control it. Aggressiveness and continual barking are considered to be a nuisance.
• after 1 July 1999, dog owners must permanently identify and register any puppy or new dog. There is a period of three years to transfer older dogs from annual registration to the new lifetime system.

Cats

The Act gives cats specific protection but also introduces responsibilities for cat owners:

• from 1 July 1999 all new cats or kittens must be permanently identified and lifetime registered
• also from 1 July 1999 all cat owners must identify their cat either by collar and tag or by microchip
• if a cat causes a nuisance to neighbours, through noise or by attack on other animals, owners must act to control the cat
• existing laws relating to cats in wildlife protection areas remain in force. Stray cats that attack animals or someone else's property may be removed

Microchipping your Pet

Permanent identification is by a microchip the size of a grain of rice being placed by injection under the skin in an animal's neck. The chip is inert and does not interfere with the animal in any way. Each chip contains a unique number which links the animal to the owner's details, kept on a Statewide register. Privacy controls will ensure the confidentiality of an owner's details and limit access to lawful purposes only.

Lifetime registration should be completed by the time the animal is six months old. This will allow sufficient time to have pets microchipped and desexed should you wish to obtain the benefits of cheaper registration.

Exemptions

People with assistance animals such as guide dogs must have their animal permanently identified and registered, but are exempt from paying registration fees

Greyhounds do not have to be permanently identified, but are subject to a fee while they are registered for racing purposes

Farm working dogs living on rural properties do not have to be identified or registered.