RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP

While owning a pet can be lots of fun, there are lots of responsibilities as well. Much of being a responsible pet owner involves knowing your pet’s rights, the Law and the community’s expectations about responsible pet ownership.

The Domestic Animal Act 1994

The Victorian State Government recently introduced some very tough laws to punish irresponsible pet owners. Owners who neglect and not look after their pets and owners of dogs who attack another person or an animal can be fined lots of money or in some circumstances imprisoned.

Extra animal permit:

If you live in a house or flat you are allowed to keep four dogs or cats under three months old or two dogs or carts over three months old. If you wish to keep more dogs or cats you will need to apply for a permit. There may be restrictions and permits required for other types of animals, please contact Council for further information.

Stray and unwanted cats:

Research has found a major contributing factor to this problem is people feeding unowned (stray and feral) cats but not taking full responsibility for them. Feeding unowned cats helps keep them strong enough to reproduce, they continue to breed more and more kittens into a life of disease and neglect.

If there are stray or unwanted cats in your area that you want removed, please contact Council.

Registration:

All cats and dogs over the age of three months must be microchipped and registeredwith Council.

You must apply to renew your registration by 10 April each year. Penalties may apply for late registration renewals.

When you register your pet, you will receive a registration tag that will help your cat or dog be returned to you if it becomes lost.

Desexing:

Having your pet desexed prevents unwanted pups or kittens being born and can help make animals less aggressive and not wander as often. Council offers cheaper registration for desexed animals and has introduced a voucher scheme for lower income residents to desex their animal.

Micorchipping:

All cats and dogs over the age of three months must be micorchipped prior to registration with Council. A microchip provides a permanent form of identification which can quickly reunite you with your lost or injured pet.

A microchip is a tiny computer chip about the size of a grain of rice, which has an identification number programmed into it. The microchip will last the lifetime of the animal. The microchip is injected under the animal’s skin and is a simple procedure, which causes no side effects. To identify the animal, a scanner that reads microchip numbers is passed over the animal’s skin. The scanned number can be checked against a register, which provides details of the animal’s ownership.

Leash laws:

Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times when in public places unless in a designated off-leash park,(please see Council’s website for a current list of off-leash parks within Moonee Valley). . Dogs are also not allowed within 15 metres of any children’s playground, public barbecue and must be on a leash within 15 metres of a shared path or exercise equipment area.

Off-leash parks are located at:

Aberfeldie

Aberfeldie Park, The Boulevard (Mel 28 C6)

Airport West

Davis Reserve, Fullarton Street (Mel 15 G9)

Ascot Vale

Fairburn Park, Woods Street (Mel 28 C9)

Avondale Heights

Thompson Street Reserve, Thompson Street (Mel 27 C5)

East Keilor

Allan Reserve, Park Drive (Mel 27 D2)

Spring Gully Reserve, Keilor Road (Mel 15 G10)

Essendon

Cross Keys Reserve (Eastern end only)

Bridge Road (Mel 28 K1)

Flemington

Travancore Park, Mooltan Street (Mel 29 B10)

Strathmore

Boeing Reserve (Northern end only) (Mel 16 D5)

Cat Curfew:

To promote a safe environment for all pets in Moonee Valley, Council has a cat curfew. All cats must be kept on their owner’s property at night between sunset and sunrise. The curfew aims to keep all cats safe as well as protect the environment and local wildlife.

Animal poo:

You must clean up after your pet in public places, including streets, parks, shared walkways etc. Council has provided, at some of its parks, bag dispensers to assist dog owners to pick up animal poo, however it is your responsibility to carry a bag with you when you leave to take your dog for a walk.

Barking dogs:

Dogs that bark too much can be annoying to your neighbours and they have a right to complain. Dogs can bark out of boredom, loneliness, fear or frustration or for medical reasons. To stop your dog barking, take it for regular walks and make sure it is in good health and has fresh water, a balanced diet, toys and adequate shelter from hot or cold weather.

If your dog constantly barks you may be fined or taken to court where you could be ordered to take action to stop your dog barking.

Dangerous Dogs:

Dogs are declared to be dangerous if they have caused serious injury to a person or another animal, if they have been trained to attack or if they are kept to guard a non-residential premise or has been declared by Council.

A dog may also be declared menacing if it rushes at or chases someone. There are specific laws for owning dogs that are considered and have been declared dangerous. Dogs that have been declared dangerous must be kept in a special caged enclosure with appropriate signage on the property where the dog is kept.

Restricted Breed dogs:

Certain breeds of dogs are designated as being Restricted Breed types, they are: Japanese Tosa, Fila Brasiliero, Dogo Argentino, Perro de Presa Canario ( or Presa Canario) and American Pit Bull Terrier (or Pit Bull Terrier). These dogs must be registered with Council and only of they have been previously registered in the state prior to 1 September 2010. There are specific laws related to the keeping of these types of dogs. These dogs must be kept in a special caged enclosure. For more details contact Council.

Lost and found animals: If you have lost your pet or found a stray animal:

  • Check the Lost Dogs Home website at lostdogs.com.au
  • Call the Lost Dogs Home and Cat Shelter on 9329 2755 or visit 2 Gracie Street, North Melbourne.
  • Call Council during business hours (8.30am to 5pm) on 9243 8888

If you have found a stray animal,report to Council, you will need to give a description of the animal and location last seen. Council will arrange for the animal to be collected and taken to the owner or pound so that it can be reunited with its owner.

Complaining about an animal in your neighbourhood:

Before raising a complaint, you should talk to the owner of the animal. They may be unaware of the problem. If you cannot reach a resolution you can call the Dispute Settlement Centre on 1800 658 528 for free advice or call Council and lodge a complaint, which will be investigated by Council’s Local Law officers.