Encouraging responsible pet ownership
Published on 25 November 2020
Goulburn Mulwaree Council has recently completed an audit of our companion animal registration, in line with new regulatory requirements through the NSW Government Office of Local Government.
The audit revealed a high percentage of dogs and cats in our community are not registered, and also that a number of cats in our community have not been desexed by 4 months of age which requires their owners to have an annual permit.
“It is important that all pet owners in our community play their role by registering your animal, and paying a permit if you choose to not desex your cat. The audit we have recently undertaken was a requirement through the Office of Local Government but did reveal we have an issue with registration of pets in our community, which is why we are now addressing this.”
“It’s important to note that this is not revenue raising by Council, as registration is a state requirement fee that registers the animal for its lifetime.”
As a result of the audit, 6,000 letters have been generated and mailed out to relevant pet owners advising them of their obligations.
Further, on 20 November 2020 Council was advised by the Office of Local Government that they made further changes in relation to the annual permits that came into effect from 1 July 2020 for non- desexed cats and cats not desexed by 4 months of age. These changes are:
- If your cat was desexed by 1 July 2020 a permit is NOT required.
- The lifetime registration fee of $50.00 (for cats) is still required and needs to be paid by the due date on the letter you have received.
Cats that were desexed after the 1st of July 2020 and over 4 months of age are required to pay a one off permit fee of $80 + $50 lifetime registration fee.
Please note that microchipping is not registration. Microchips are for identification purposes only and registration is a state requirement fee that registers the animal for its lifetime. Council look forward to working with the community to ensure responsible pet ownership and your patience and understanding during this process.