Animal Compliance

Moree Plains Shire recognises that pets are an enormous source of pleasure and companionship for many people. We welcome and encourage responsible pet ownership within the shire.

Registering your pet
Responsible Pet Ownership
Dog Attack
Penalty Notices associated with Animal Compliance
Lost an Animal
Found an Animal
Nuisance Dog Noise
Hire of Animal Traps
NSW Pet Registry

Registering Your Pet

Pets are great companions but it is essential that dog and cat owners register and microchip their pets. The Companion Animals Act 1998 was introduced in NSW on 1st July 1999 to protect pets, people and the wider community.

Microchipping and registration is a two-step process:

STEP ONE
In NSW, all cats and dogs, other than exempt cats and dogs, must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age or before being sold or given away, whichever happens first.

1. Contact your local vet to have your animal microchipped
2. You will complete a permanent identification form at the time of microchipping.
3. Once the animal is microchipped, these identification details are entered into the NSW Companion Animal Register.
4. A certificate is then issued to the owner with the identification details.
5. Register your cat or dog as per step two

STEP TWO
All cats and dogs, other than exempt cats and dogs, must be registered by six months of age. The registration fee is a once-only payment, which covers the cat or dog for its lifetime in NSW, regardless of any changes in ownership. You are encouraged to have your cat or dog desexed before registering it. To register your pet you will need:

1. The Lifetime Registration R2 form
2. A certificate of microchipping or letter from your vet
3. Proof of de-sexing from your vet or a statutory declaration (discounted fee for desexed animals)
4. Any documents which entitle you to a discount (for example pension card)
5. Payment can be made at Council either by cheque, money order, EFTPOS, VISA or cash

You must notify Council if any of the following circumstances occur:

• Change of ownership/change of address or any other details within 14 days;
• Death of animal within 28 days in writing;
• Missing animal within 96 hours;
• If a court declares/revokes a dog as being dangerous within 7 days; and
• If you sell or give away your animal a change of owner/details form must be completed and sent to Council.

This change of owner details form (C3A) can be found on the Division of Local Government website. Do not give the certificate to the new owner, as you are responsible for the details to be changed. Penalties apply where changes to ownership are not notified.

Registration Costing All NSW Councils are connected to the statewide register. You may register your animal by downloading and completing the prescribed form and along with supporting documentation visit and pay Council.

2023/2024 Registration Pricing

Under the Companion Animals Act, cats and dogs throughout NSW must be identified (by microchipping) by the time the animal is 12 weeks old. The permanent identification (microchipping) and lifetime registration scheme greatly assist authorities in returning lost or injured animals to their owners. Once microchipped and registered, your pet is protected for life.

Responsible Pet Ownership

Owning a pet is a big responsibility. There are many things you need to take into account to ensure the best for your dog’s welfare.

• Dogs at all times must wear a collar with a name tag showing the name of the dog and address or telephone number.
• Your dog must, unless it is exempt from this requirement, be under the effective control of a competent person at all times when out in public.
  This means that it must be on a leash and under the control of someone capable of restraining it. A small child, for example, may not be able to control a large dog.
  Under these circumstances, an adult capable of restraining the dog should walk the dog.
• A dog is not considered to be under the effective control of a competent person if the person has more than 4 dogs under his or her control.
• If your dog is being exercised in an approved off-leash area it must always be under the effective control of a competent person;
• Pick up and remove the faeces immediately and dispose of them properly.
• All dogs, apart from police and corrective service dogs and genuine assistance dogs, are banned from children's play area, food preparation or consumption areas, except cafes or restaurants whose owners permit dogs in their outdoor dining areas, recreation areas where dogs are prohibited, public bathing areas where dogs are prohibited, school grounds, child care centres, shopping centres where dogs are prohibited, wildlife protection areas.
• Prevent the dog from escaping the property on which it is being kept

Dog Attacks

Under the Companion Animals Act 1998  it is an offence for a dog to attack a person or another animal. If a dog rushes at, attacks, bites or harasses or chases any person or animal (other than vermin), whether or not any injury is caused to the person or animal:
1. The owner of the dog; or
2. If the owner is not present at the time of the offence, and another person who is of or above the age of 16 years is in charge of the dog at that time – that other person is guilty of an offence.  

Reporting a Dog Attack

If you have seen a dog attack a person or animal, or been attacked by a dog yourself, irrespective of whether the attack happened on public or on private property, you should report it to Council on 02 6757 3222.

If the attack occurred outside local council hours, you can call the main Council number on 02 6757 3222 who will call the on-call ranger on duty, you may also call your local police station. Police officers have also authorised officers under the Companion Animals Act 1998. Authorised officers have a wide range of powers to deal with owners of attacking dogs, including seizing dogs that have attacked.

Am I legally liable if my dog attacks another animal or person?

As a dog owner, you are liable if your dog attacks a person or another animal. While the Companion Animals Act 1998 gives certain protection to an owner whose dog attacks as a result of a person or an animal trespassing onto the property on which the dog is kept, other forms of liability may still apply.

Penalty Notices Associated with Animal Compliance

Penalty notices that can be issued under the Act, please note that there could be other penalties not listed here and are subject to change.

Lost An Animal

When cat and dogs are impounded and cannot be immediately returned to their owners, they are impounded at the Moree Plains Shire Pound and looked after until the owner can be contacted.

If an impounded dog or cat is microchipped, we will house the animal at the pound for 14 days while we try to contact you. If the animal is not microchipped, Council will house the animal for seven days.

Ranger Services will endeavour to contact owners of identified and registered animals as soon as possible.

If your animal has gone missing, please contact Ranger Services on 02 6757 3245 within normal business hours. Please be prepared to provide staff with the microchip number, description of your dog as well as the date and location it went missing.
The pound is located next to our Engineering Works Depot at 52 Tycannah Street Moree.

Collecting your pet from the Pound
If your pet has been impounded, here are some important points you should be aware of.

• Your pet can be released from the pound upon presentation of appropriate ID and proof that you are the owner or authorisation from the Owner.
• Your dog or cat cannot be released unless it has been microchipped and registered (pound staff can do this for you).
• Companion animals, by law, are only kept at the pound for the statutory period (7 days for an unidentified animal,14 days for an identified animal). After this time, animals may be sold or euthanased at the Council's discretion.
• There are some fees applicable that need to be paid prior to the animal's release. These fees increase on a daily basis so you should act quickly.

Can I surrender an unwanted pet to the pound?
Yes. If you are unable to care for your dog or cat, you can surrender it to the pound upon payment of a fee. Contact Ranger Services first to discuss.

Does the Pound Rehome Pets?
Yes. Many unclaimed dogs and cats are assessed by Ranger Staff as being appropriate for rehome to the public or to the Animal Welfare League NSW – North West Branch please contact Ranger Services first to discuss.

Found An Animal

Reporting wandering/stray dogs quickly will assist the rangers to locate and collect them and reunite with their owners. Rangers are continuously patrolling the areas of Moree and surrounds however picking them up from a known location is easier. If you are able to contain the dog in a safe manner, the Ranger will be able to pick the dog up from there during business hours Monday to Friday.

Should you find a wandering/stray dog on the weekend please leave it in the after-hours cages that are located at the front of the pound (please ensure there is water in the bowl), or
Contact your local vet to scan for a microchip, or
Keep the dog until you can call us the next business day and we will collect it then.
If the dog is threatening other people, animals or property they will be the highest priority, should it be after hours please call the after-hours number on 02 6757 3222 who will call the on-call Ranger or contact the local police.

If you find a dead animal
If you find a dead animal on public property this can be reported to us and we can remove them, however, these animals cannot be recovered by the owners. We don't remove animals from private properties; you will need to contact your local vet for assistance.

Nuisance Dog Noise

In most nuisance dog cases, all that is required is for someone from the Council to explain to the dog owner that there is a problem. Often, the dog owners aren’t aware that there is a problem and are more than willing to act once it is brought to their attention.

In other instances, they will refuse to accept the validity of the complaint. In order to address the concerns in a timely and equitable manner for all parties, further information is required:

The Diary
Prior to the matter being investigated complainants will be requested to complete a seven-day diary giving times and duration of barking. It is suggested that you and two other people who are affected by the noise complete the diaries. Council requires precise information regarding the barking problem. Guidelines for filling out the diary are printed on it.

If your diary is not forwarded to us, or if it is not complete, we will not take any action. This is because we need a minimum standard of evidence to prove a case to a Court if need be and your evidence is crucial.

So what happens from here?
Once you and other affected persons have filled out the diaries, send them into Council.

We will then visit the dog owner and advise them about the problem. We will also show them the diaries that indicate the times when their pet is a problem (Your name and address will be deleted).

We will give some advice about what can be done about the problem, and make contact again seven days after our first visit to see what action is intended. We will also contact you at this point and let you know the situation.

If the owner does not resolve the situation, consideration will be given to legal proceedings utilising your evidence to resolve the situation.

Once completed return the completed diary along with those completed by another affected persons to:

The General Manager
ATTN: Ranger Services
Moree Plains Shire Council
PO Box 420
MOREE  NSW  2400

Or

Contact Moree Plains Council’s Ranger Services
PH: 02 6757 3245
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hire of Animal Traps

Moree Plains Shire Council has traps available for hire for the trapping of cats and nuisance smaller animals. Traps can be hired for a period of 7 days for $17.00 including a $150 refundable security deposit. The arrangement can be made through Council’s Ranger Services to arrange the removal of the animal.

To apply for a trap, please contact Council’s Ranger Services on (02) 6757 3245 to ensure a trap is available, complete the Animal Trap Hire Agreement form and arrange payment.

NSW Pet Registry

What does this mean:  
Approved Persons and Authorised Users will continue to:

• Access the NSW Companion Animals Register
• Process Permanent Identification forms from Veterinarians, Authorised Identifiers and the public;
• Process Change of Address form received;
• Assist the public during the transition phase.  

Veterinarians will be able to:

• quickly and easily add their clients’ newly microchipped animals directly onto the Pet Registry;
• notify the Pet Registry if an animal is desexed, or if desexing of a clients’ animal is not recommended for medical reasons.

Authorised identifiers will be able to:

• quickly and easily add their clients’ newly microchipped animals directly onto the Pet Registry.

NSW Residents will be able to:

• Create a user profile online;
• Claim ownership of new animals on the Pet Registry and existing animals on the Companion Animals Register;
• Quickly and easily add their address details;
• Pay their animal's registration online via Visa or MasterCard.

User guides, Frequently Asked Questions and updated guidelines will also be made available on the Pet Registry.