Pet Owners Urged to Update Their Animal’s Details
Published on 11 March 2019
Snowy Valleys Council is calling on local dog and cat owners to register or update their animal’s details in the NSW Companion Animal Registry.
All Companion Animals (dogs and cats) must be microchipped no later than 12 weeks and registered no later than 6 months of age. The costs associated with registering your animal are far less than the penalties if you do not.
If your pet dies it is also important to update the registry with the information.
Council’s Acting Director of Strategy, Community and Development Phil Stone said animal Identification and registration is important for both Council and owners.
“Registering your pet in the database allows lost or missing animals that come into Council to be returned to their families quickly,” Mr Stone said. “It’s also the law and there are fines associated with non-compliance…don’t put yourself at risk”.
Snowy Valleys Council is currently reviewing the registration of companion animals in accordance with NSW legislation.
“As of 1 March, 2019 the Companion Animal Registry shows that here are at least 3,640 microchipped dogs and cats in the Snowy Valleys region which are not registered, and not legally exempt from registration as required in NSW,” Mr Stone said. “It is estimated that there is at least twice that number that are neither microchipped nor registered within the region”.
Non-compliance with requirements could result in significant fines such as:
• A dog or cat not microchipped (12 weeks of age) - $180
• A dog or cat not registered (6 months of age) - $330
• Notification to register a dog or cat not complied with - $305
• Sell (gift/give away) unidentified dog or cat - $180
• Not update dog or cat registration or identification information - $180
Council recommends that owners of legitimate working dogs microchip and take advantage of free registration which is available for working dogs. A good working dog is a significant investment and legitimate working dogs are defined in legislation. – A general farm dog living on a property does not qualify as a working dog and it must be registered as per normal fees.
Owners looking to sell or give away cats and dogs are responsible for updating the registration/identification details with Council. Giving the new owner paperwork is not sufficient. Updating information is free to do at any council in NSW.
Letters of notification under Section 10B of the Companion animals Act are now being mailed from Council and compliance verification checks will be undertaken.
For more information please contact Council’s rangers:
Mel Wilkerson (Tumut), Rodney Bartel (Tumbarumba)
P: 1300 ASK SVC E: [email protected]