All cats and dogs must be permanently identified with a microchip either by:
- 12 weeks of age
- Point of sale or change of ownership, which ever occurs first
- If you are giving away your pet you MUST have it microchipped first.
It is the responsibility of the current owner to transfer the microchip into the new owner’s name. It is important to remember that microchipping does not take the place of registering your pet with NSW Pet Registry.
All owners are encouraged to desex their dogs and cats.
While it’s not mandatory (unless you have a restricted, declared dangerous or menacing dog) there are benefits for you and your pet:
- A greatly reduced lifetime-registration fee applies for a cat or dog that has been desexed, by the relevant age
- Your cat or dog is less likely to stray, be aggressive, fight, or spray to mark its territory
- It helps reduce unwanted pets and pet overpopulation.
Good to know:
There is no scientific evidence to show that it is better to allow an animal to have one litter before being desexed.
Desexing dogs before 6 months of age and cats before 4 months of age is recommended. If you cannot afford to have your cat or dog desexed, speak to your vet or an animal welfare organisation as they may be able to help.
From 1 July 2020 owners of cats not desexed by four months of age are required to pay an annual permit in addition to their one-off lifetime registration fee, until their cat has been desexed. More information on Annual Permits can be found on the NSW Government, Office of Local Government website.
More information regarding the benefits of desexing your pet is made available on the RSPCA website.
You can register your pet online at the NSW Pet Registry or contact us.
Animal Registration Fees
Benefits of registration
Registration clearly identifies the animal as yours. If your pet becomes lost, we will be able to notify you of your animal's whereabouts if it is found.
Registration fees are used to provide services such as:
- Public education about responsible pet ownership
- Maintenance of leash free areas
- Community microchipping days
We know people are passionate about their dogs, with many people considering dogs to be part of their family or valued companions.
There are six things you can do to be a responsible pet owner:
- Make sure your dog can be identified with a collar, tag, and microchip
- Make sure your dog is registered with us so it can be identified if it becomes lost
- Keep your dog in your yard
- Consider desexing your pet
- Always keep your dog on a leash in public unless in an off-leash area
- Clean up after your pet.
Good to know
Dogs are now allowed in kerbside outdoor dining areas. Your dog can join you if they:
- Are on a lead
- Stay on the ground
- Are not fed
- Have the restaurant owner's permission.
Cats can be wonderful companions, they need their owners to provide proper housing, food and to follow responsible breeding practices.
We recommend keeping your cat indoors at night. Here’s why:
- All cats hunt, regardless of how well fed they are. Cats usually hunt at night
- Most cat fights occur at night
- Most vehicle accidents involving cats occur at night
- Cats can cause considerable damage to the environment if allowed to wander.
- It will prevent around 90% of all cat-related complaints.
Tips on keeping cats indoors:
- Don’t feed your cat until it is time for them to be inside and once you invite them in to be fed, keep them in for the night.
- If your cat is well behaved, you can let them roam freely inside.
- Alternatively put your cat in a room where they have a bed and a litter tray (this could also be a garden shed or garage)