MICROCHIPPING & Registration
Under the Companion Animals Act 1998 all dogs and cats must be microchipped and also registered on the NSW Pet Registry either before the animal being sold or given away or by 12 weeks of age (whichever happens first).
Significant penalties apply if you do not register your dog or cat.
MICROCHIPPING
If a resident or customer wants to register their dog as a working dog, they must provide the Council with a document detailing what the dog is used for and the Property Identification Code (PIC) for the property.
This information will be added to the Companion Animals Register (CAR) during registration. A "working dog" is defined as a dog primarily used for droving, tending, working, or protecting stock, and includes dogs in training for these purposes.
For cats that are not desexed, owners, pensioners, or breeders are required to pay an annual fee of $96. This fee applies each year until the cat is desexed, after which it is no longer required.
Microchipping cats and dogs is mandatory in NSW and is the best way to ensure they can safely return home if lost. Adding a collar and tag is also recommended for extra safety.
The Council can microchip your pet at our animal shelter for a fee of $73.50. Alternatively, pets can be taken to a vet or any other authorised microchip implanter for microchipping.
LIFETIME REGISTRATION
Once your pet is microchipped, it identifies your dog by recording its breed, age, colour and owner details. The second step is to register your pet by 12 weeks of age. Registration is Statewide and once an animal has been registered at any Council in NSW, it will remain lifetime registered in all of NSW. If your dog has been declared dangerous or is a restricted breed, annual registration will apply from July 2020.
To arrange lifetime registration of your pet you can come into Council between 8:30am and 5:00pm on weekdays or by appointment only at the Animal Shelter on weekends.
You can complete a companion animal registration form online via the NSW Companion Animal Register.
You can also email a copy of your completed forms to Council and request a phone call back to arrange payment. Email: council@wollondilly.nsw.gov.au
REGISTRATION fees
Registration fees for dogs and cats
| Registration type | Registration description | Registration fee |
|---|---|---|
| Dog – Standard lifetime registration |
Basic lifetime registration fee for a dog Note: An extra fee applies if a dog is not desexed by 6 months of age. If a vet decides that a dog should not be desexed before 6 months of age or ever in its life, a temporary or permanent exemption from the additional fee may be granted. |
$80.00 |
| Dog – Standard lifetime registration – Eligible Pensioner |
Basic lifetime registration fee for a dog owned by an eligible pensioner Note: An extra fee applies if a dog is not desexed by 6 months of age. If a vet decides that a dog should not be desexed before 6 months of age or ever in its life, a temporary or permanent exemption from the additional fee may be granted. |
$35.00 |
| Dog – Additional fee payable for non-desexed | Owner must pay an extra registration fee for dogs that are not desexed by 6 months of age. | $189.00 |
| Cat – Standard lifetime registration |
Basic lifetime registration fee for a cat Note: An annual permit fee applies if a cat is not desexed by 4 months of age. If a vet determines that a cat should not be desexed before 4 months of age or ever in its life, a temporary or permanent exemption from the annual permit fee may be granted. |
$70.00 |
| Cat – Standard lifetime registration – eligible pensioner |
Basic lifetime registration fee for a cat owned by an eligible pensioner Note: An annual permit fee applies if a cat is not desexed by 4 months of age. If a vet determines that a cat should not be desexed before 4 months of age or ever in its life, a temporary or permanent exemption from the annual permit fee may be granted. |
$35.00 |
| Registration late fee | The owner must also pay a late fee if they have not paid the registration fee on the due date or within 28 days of when it was due. | $23.00 |
Registration fees for recognised breeding animals
| Registration type | Registration description | Registration fee |
|---|---|---|
| Dog – Recognised breeding dog |
Dog not desexed by 6 months of age and kept by a recognised breeder for breeding purposes. Note: Breeder must give council the necessary documentation so council can validate that the dog qualifies for this registration fee type. |
$80.00 |
| Cat – Recognised breeding cat |
Cat not desexed by 4 months of age and kept by a recognised breeder for breeding purposes. Note: Breeder must give council the necessary documentation so council can validate the cat qualifies for this registration fee type. |
$70.00 |
No pet registration fee payable
| Registration type | Registration description | Registration fee |
|---|---|---|
| Dog – Desexed dog sold by council pound, shelter, or rehoming organisation |
Desexed dog sold by a council pound, shelter or an approved rehoming organisation. Note: Owners who adopt from a council pound, shelter or an approved rehoming organisation do not have to pay an annual permit fee if the dog is desexed after 6 months of age. |
$0 |
| Dog – Service of the state | Dog in the service of the NSW Government, for example, a police dog | $0 |
| Dog – Working | Working dog | $0 |
| Dog – Assistance animal | Assistance animal | $0 |
| Cat – Desexed cat sold by council pound, shelter, or rehoming organisation |
Desexed cat sold by an eligible council pound, shelter or rehoming organisation Note: Owners who adopt from a council pound, shelter or an approved rehoming organisation do not have to pay an annual permit fee if the cat is desexed after 4 months of age. |
$0 |
| Cat – Assistance animal | Assistance animal | $0 |
Pets exempt from registration and microchipping
- Cats born before 1 July 1999 when ownership has not changed.
- Working dogs usually kept in a part of the Western Division of NSW that is not within a local government area or on land categorised as farmland for the purposes of Part 3 of Chapter 15 of the Local Government Act 1993.
- Greyhounds currently registered under the Greyhound Racing Act 2017.
- An animal in the custody of an accredited research establishment within the meaning of the Animal Research Act 1985.
- An animal kept at a licensed animal display establishment within the meaning of the Exhibited Animals Protection Act 1986.
- An animal that is ordinarily kept outside NSW and that has not been continuously in NSW for a period of at least three months.
- An animal where a veterinary practitioner has certified in writing, before the animal was 12 weeks of age, that identification of the animal would constitute a serious health risk to the animal.
- Assistance animals, police dogs, corrective services dogs, and commonwealth officers’ dogs are exempt from paying registration fees but must be microchipped and registered on the NSW Pet Registry
Change of ownership
If you re-home an animal, you must complete a Change of Ownership Form, signed by you and the new animal owner and submitted to Council in person or via email to: council@wollondilly.nsw.gov.au
It is the responsibility of the original animal owner to submit this form to ensure the animal will be put into the new owner’s name. If this is not done, whoever is the owner listed on the microchip is the legally responsible owner of the animal.
Change of address
If you are moving or have updated your contact details you must submit a Change of Address Form and submit it to council@wollondilly.nsw.gov.au.
Wollondilly Shire Council acknowledges the Dharawal and Gundungurra peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land, honouring their enduring cultural and spiritual connection to Country and recognising their ongoing contribution to the Shire.
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