Responsible Dog Ownership

As well as registering their dogs, responsible dog ownership includes:

  • Keeping your dog under control at all times, including leashing in public places (leash device to be no longer than one metre).
  • Ensuring your dog receives proper care and attention, are supplied with sufficient food, water and shelter and receive adequate exercise.
  • Ensuring your dog does not cause a nuisance to any person and does not injure, endanger, or cause distress to any person.
  • Ensuring your dog does not injure, endanger, or cause distress to any stock, poultry, domestic animal or protected wildlife.
  • Muzzling dangerous and menacing dogs in public places.
  • Accepting liability for damage done by your dog (including traffic accidents).
  • Ensuring that your dog wears a collar with a current registration tag affixed.
  • Notifying the Council in writing of any change of address or ownership of a dog within 14 days.
  • Picking up your dog's faeces when this occurs outside your property.
  • Containing your dog if it has a contagious disease.
  • Keeping your dog confined to your property in such a manner that it cannot freely leave your property, or ensure your dog is under the direct control of a person.

Preventing dog attacks

Up to 77% of dog attacks come from a family dog or a friend's dog. Educating yourself and your children of a dog's body language and other signs a dog may be in distress could help prevent an attack before it occurs. 

Find more information at StopThe77.com »