New requirements for cat, dangerous dog owners

Owners of non-desexed cats and restricted and dangerous dogs in Eurobodalla will be required to pay for new annual permits in addition to their pet’s registration in changes introduced by the NSW Government today.

Designed to promote responsible pet ownership and improve animal welfare, owners of cats that are not desexed by four months of age will be required to pay an $80 annual permit, in addition to their one-off lifetime pet registration fee.

The move creates a stronger incentive to desex cats, which not only improves their health and wellbeing, but is also expected to help ease the burden on pounds and shelters, reduce euthanasia rates, and address concerns about feral, stray and roaming cats and their effect on wildlife.

Exemptions are in place for cats registered before 1 July 2020, those kept for breeding purposes by members of recognised breeding bodies, and cats that cannot be de-sexed for medical reasons.

Owners of dogs of a restricted breed or formally declared to be dangerous will also be required to pay a $195 annual permit in addition to their one-off lifetime pet registration fee.

This is designed to serve as a further disincentive to owning high-risk dogs and encourage owners to better manage the behaviour of their animal.

The fees will go directly to the NSW Government’s Companion Animals Fund, which pays for companion animal management by local councils including pounds/shelters, ranger services, dog recreation areas, and education and awareness programs.

The fund is also used to operate the NSW Pet Registry and carry out responsible pet ownership initiatives.

The annual permits can be bought via the NSW Pet Registry website or  through Eurobodalla Council, which is responsible for administering the NSW Companion Animal Management Act.

Visit our pets page for more information about owning a pet in Eurobodalla.