Every dog and cat three months of age and over must be registered with their local Council. This must be done by 10 April each year. While choosing to register your pet with other animal welfare organisations offers you a valuable additional means of identification for your cat or dog, registration with your local Council is mandatory. . WHY DO PETS HAVE TO BE REGISTERED AT THREE MONTHS OF AGE? Most puppies and kittens are purchased or obtained between the age of eight to twelve weeks. Registering pets at three months of age ensures that more lost puppies and kittens can be returned to their owners. In addition, owners receive discount registration fees if their pets are desexed. Registering pets at three months of age encourages early age desexing of cats and dogs. This may in turn prevent the breeding of unwanted cats and dogs, many of which are euthanased each year across Victoria. THE IMPORTANCE OF PET REGISTRATION Registering your dog or cat greatly improves their chances of being returned to you if they become lost. But registration fees provide a whole range of other important services too. WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR REGISTRATION FEES The types and levels of fees are set by your local Council, and vary depending on a number of factors. Contact your Council to find out which fees apply to your pet. As a minimum you will get: - A council identification marker for your pet to wear - Lost and found service; a guarantee that if your pet is found wearing the council identification marker you will be notified. - Council services to respond to calls about wandering dogs or dog attacks. This includes the removal of aggressive dogs from the streets, so you and your pet can walk in safety. - Council services to deal with nuisance problems. These services manage issues like barking dogs, cat trespass, and unowned animals. - Council control of 'dangerous', 'menacing' and 'restricted breed' dogs in your area. This ensures they do not pose a threat to the community. Council monitoring of pet shops, boarding kennels, catteries, pounds, shelters, and pet breeding and training businesses. This ensures they meet basic animal welfare standards required by law. - A State Government education program for schools. This program makes visits to all Primary Schools in Victoria. It teaches children about safety with dogs, and how to be a responsible pet owner. For more information, see the website www.pets.info.vic.gov.au - A State Government education program for pre-schools. This program teaches children and parents how to avoid dog attacks in the home and in public places. - A State Government education program for adults. This program promotes the responsible ownership of pets. It also provides advice and information for pet owners. For further details, see the website www.pets.info.vic.gov.au - State Government research into dog and cat welfare and control issues. This includes research into preventing dog attacks. Your local council may also provide any of the following: - Activities to encourage dog owners to pick up dog faeces in public places. This may include education, fines, or providing bins and/or scoop facilities in parks. - Signs for dog on-leash and off-leash areas, and patrols to check that dog owners comply. - Education to prevent dog attacks. - Education on how to be a responsible pet owner. This may include information such as the publication of brochures etc. - Pet care days or discount microchipping days. - Programs to subsidise the de-sexing of pets. - Rewards for responsible pet owners. DO YOU OWN MULTIPLE PETS? To ensure the welfare of pets, it is important that they are kept in a healthy environment. It is also important that neighbours are not inconvenienced by pets. For these reasons permits are required when there are more than a certain number of dogs or cats kept in a household. This number is set by your council, and varies across the State. It is important to register your pets. If you do not have a permit for excess animals, council may take further action. COMPULSORY MICROCHIPPING From 1 May 2007, all cats and dogs registered with a council for the first time must be microchipped prior to registration. For more information, contact your local council or call 136 186 for a free copy of the brochure "Microchip for life". REGISTRATION FEES The types and levels of fees are set by your local council, and vary depending on a number of factors. Contact your council to find out which fees apply to your pet. You are eligible for reduced registration fees if your pet is: - de-sexed; or - has an obedience certificate issued by a Government approved organisation; or - permanently identified with a microchip; or - over 10 years of age; or - kept for working stock; or - kept for breeding by the proprietor of a registered business. You also get reduced registration fees if you are a member of a pet organisation approved by the Minister. Pensioners who have approved concession cards issued by the Department of Social Security and Department of Veterans Affairs are also entitled to a reduction in their fees. RENEW YOUR PET'S REGISTRATION EACH YEAR Don't forget to renew your registration each year by 10 April. If you move to a new municipality, make sure you transfer your pet's registration. If your pet loses its identification marker (which must always be worn by your pet when outside your premises) you can get a new one from your local council. If you do not comply with registration requirements, you can be fined. And remember, if you really care about your dog or cat, then register it! Responsible Pet Ownership Copyright / Disclaimer Last Updated: 30/05/2007 This site was designed and developed by KnowledgeWorks.