community

Animal Registration

Any cat or dog residing in Wellington Shire must be microchipped and registered from 3 months of age.
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Registration period

  • Under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 animal registrations run from 10 April each year and must be renewed annually.
  • A Renewal Notice will be sent to your address before 10 April each year.

New pet registration

Pet registration renewal

Re-register your pet

Fees, late renewals, microchipping and more

Please explore the drop-down menus below for more useful information about animal registrations.

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Registration and Renewal Fees

Standard registration

Fee: $165.00 (Standard) or $82.50 (Concession)

  • Non desexed (entire)

Reduced registration

Fee: $51.50 (Standard) or $25.75 (Concession)

One or more of the below:

  • Desexed
  • Over 10 years old
  • Used by breeding proprietor of a Domestic Animal Business
  • Registered with an Applicable Organisation
  • Obedience training with an approved organisation which complies with the regulations
  • Kept for working stock (An application to register a dog as kept for 'working stock' will be considered by a Local Laws Officer, who may arrange an appointment time to view/inspect the animal working the stock).

To claim the reduced rate under any of these criteria you must provide relevant proof.

Non desexed animal (Under 12 months of age)

Fee: $51.50 (Standard) or $25.75 (Concession)

  • Non-desexed animal under 12 months of age
  • Fee is only applicable for first registration year
  • Owner is responsible for providing Council with proof of desexing to be eligible for the reduced rate beyond the first registration year

Declared dangerous or menacing dog

Fee: $230.00

Restricted breed dog

Fee: $230.00

  • American Pit Bull Terrier (or Pit Bull Terrier), Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa or Perro de Presa Canario

Guard dog (Non-residential)

$165.00

  • Declared guard dog kept at Non-Residential property

Exempt

Fee: Free

  • Guide dog used by visually impaired or owned by an approved organisation which trains guide dogs.
  • State or Commonwealth Government dogs.

Lifetime replacement tag

Fee: $6.00

Pension concession

Holders of eligible pension cards are entitled to a 50% reduction of the standard fee and reduced fee listed. Please present your card in person at the time of registration. Please note health care card holders are not entitled to reduced fees for pensioners.

*For entitlements to reduce registration fees the owner of the animal must produce proof of sterilisation, memberships of applicable organisation, obedience papers, breeding license, statutory declaration or tax return for proof of working dog status.

Late renewal consequences

  • Failing to pay your pet's registration renewal by the due date may result in an infringement notice.
  • You will no longer be able to renew as a Renewal of Registration.
  • A new application must be made, including compliance with any new legislative requirements.
  • Your animal's status will be updated to not renewed/unregistered in our records.

Receive renewal notices by email

Complete the Receive your rates and/or animal notice by email only form to receive your Renewal Notice via email instead of paper.

Change of animal ownership

If you have sold, given away or purchased an animal to/from someone who resides in Wellington Shire you need to inform Council. You can do this by downloading and completing a Change of Ownership for Animals form. You must complete all sections of the form, including signature of both parties (current owner and new owner).

If you are unable to obtain one parties signature, please contact us for further information.

Microchipping

Victorian legislation states that a dog or cat must be microchipped and registered from 3 months of age.

Microchipping and registration assist in identifying animals and returning them to their owners. Your vet can provide you with information about microchipping your pet and associated costs.

If you have written advice from your vet that your cat or dog's health would be affected by the implantation of a microchip, you will be exempt from the microchipping requirement.

Registration tags

When you register a cat or dog you will be provided with a lifetime registration tag. This means that you will not receive a new registration tag each year. You are still required to pay for your pets annual registration renewal fee.

Your pets Council registration tag must be fastened to your pet's collar when outside your property. If you like to change collars, we recommend putting the tag on a split ring and change as required.

Registration tags assist in returning your pet to you if it becomes lost. Council registration tags are different to tags that may be provided by a microchipping agency.

If you lose or misplace your pets lifetime registration tag, visit our Sale or Yarram Service Centre and a new tag will be issued to you for a small fee.

Update animal details

If your pet has passed away, is no longer in your care or if you are moving to a new address please complete the Update Animal Details Form.

Benefits of pet registration

  • Reunification: returning your pet to you if it gets lost.
  • Staffing: providing animal management staff to address dog barking/trespassing and wandering/stray animal complaints.
  • Animal shelter: supporting Animal Aid in Sale.
  • Feral/stray cat management: managing the number of feral and stray cats throughout Wellington Shire.
  • Dangerous and restricted breed dog management: resourcing to enforce the control of dangerous animals.
  • Domestic animal business compliance: resources to audit animal businesses.
  • Evacuation and relief centres: support for animals in an emergency.
  • Education: support for responsible pet ownership education programs.
  • Animal welfare investigations: response and intervention to support animal welfare.

100% of animal registration fees go towards supporting Council's animal management activities. It is Council's preference that pet owners comply with legislative requirements, avoiding warnings and fines. The small amount raised from animal infringements offsets all Local Laws activities, including animal management.

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