Domestic Animals

Microchipping and Registration

Microchipping and registration of cats and dogs is a legal requirement in NSW. The microchip number is the unique identification number for your pet and registration allows for the relevant information linked to that number to be kept up to date on the database including owners contact details. Microchipping and registration is the best way for Councils (or vets) to contact you if your pet is found. Once registered it is free to update your details at any NSW Council or online at www.petregistry.nsw.gov.au


Microchipping

Dogs and cats must be identified by a microchip from the time the animal is 12 weeks of age. A dog or cat must not be sold, transferred or given away unless it has been microchipped. Penalties apply for non compliance with this requirement.

Microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and are implanted beneath the animal’s skin between the shoulders. No personal information is stored on the microchip, only the unique identification number. Animals can be microchipped by any authorized identifier including the Cobar Animal Shelter or your local vet.

When purchasing a dog or cat ask the seller for a copy of the microchip paperwork. It is the seller’s responsibility to lodge a Change of Details form with Council or to release the animal to you online at www.petregistry.nsw.gov.au Once released you can create your own profile online and claim your pet and update your contact details.

All animals impounded by Council must be microchipped prior to release from the Cobar Animal Shelter.


Microchipping Fees

Microchipping can be carried out at Cobar Shire Council and is available via appointment by calling Council’s Ranger during business hours. Fees are as per Council’s current Fees & Charges.

Microchipping also can be done at Kidman Way Veterinary Surgery. Please call 68 364 188 to make an appointment.


Registration

In NSW registration is for the lifetime of your animal so there are no annual renewals. The Companion Animals Act 1998 (NSW) (‘Act’) requires all dogs and cats to be registered from the time the animal is six (6) months old.

Registration cannot be done until your animal is microchipped. Registration is a record of your ownership of the animal. Registration fees are used by councils for providing animal management related services to the community. These may include ranger services, shelter facilities, dog refuse bins, leash-free areas, educational and other companion animal-related activities.

All animals impounded by Council must be registered prior to release from the Cobar Animal Shelter.

Registration can be completed online at www.petregistry.nsw.gov.au or in person at Council’s Administration Building at 36 Linsley St, Cobar.

To register online or at Council you will need your animal’s microchip number. For desexed discount your vet should update the desexed status online to allow you to receive the discount online. Alternatively you can bring a desexing certificate to Council and register in person. Proof or a statutory declaration may be required to receive working dog registration.

The costs of registration in NSW are set by the State Government and increase in July each year. Discounted registration is available for dogs that are desexed prior to 6 months of age and cats that are desexed prior to 4 months of age. Further information regarding microchipping, registration and your responsibilities as a pet owner is available from the Office of Local Government.

 

Registration Fees

As per Cobar Shire Council’s current Fees & Charges.

 

Change of Details, Missing or Deceased Animal

The information linked to your animal’s microchip and registration needs to be kept up to date so we can contact you if your animal is found or injured. There is no charge to update details and you can do so as often as you need to. To update your details it is recommended that you do so online at www.petregistry.nsw.gov.au by creating your own profile and claiming your animals….

Hunting with Dogs

All dogs being used to hunt feral pigs must:

  • wear a collar which has a metal tag or label attached with the name, address and telephone number of the owner of the dog
  • be microchipped
  • not chase any other species of animal.

These requirements are in addition to the special conditions for hunting deer and other game animals using dogs.


Hunting on Public Lands

Part 13 of Schedule 1 of the Game and Feral Animal Control Regulation 2012 sets out the general conditions that apply to any hunting of pigs using dogs on public land. These conditions are:

  • dogs must only locate, bail or hold pigs – they must not be allowed to maul or kill pigs and hunters must take all necessary steps to ensure that their dogs do not inflict unnecessary pain on the pig
  • a license holder hunting alone must not use more than three dogs for locating, holding or bailing pigs
  • a group of license holders must not use more than five dogs for locating, holding or bailing pigs
  • dogs must be microchipped, wearing a collar with a metal tag or label attached which shows the name, address and telephone number of the owner of the dog, and must be wearing a radio tracking collar or be on a lead
  • the license holder using the dog must ensure it does not chase any other species of animal
  • the license holder must not leave or abandon the dog on public land.


For information on hunting on public lands go to the Department of Primary Industry website.

For information on GPS collars go to the DogMaster Trainers website.

Dog Parks and Leash Free Areas

Dogs should always be kept secured on a leash when in public areas for the safety of your dog and other users. All walkways and cycleways require dogs to be secured. Council provides several areas where owners can take their dogs for a run off the leash. To ensure all of these areas are safe and friendly for everyone, there are some rules governing their use.

Whilst dogs are permitted off the leash in these areas, owners are still legally liable for any damage or attacks that their dog may commit.


Rules for using the Leash Free Areas:

  • No declared dangerous or menacing dogs or restricted breeds;
  • No greyhounds;
  • Be considerate and share the use of the facility;
  • Owners must clean up after their dogs;
  • Vaccinations must be current; and
  • Dogs must always be under the effective control of a competent person who is over 16 years of age.


Leash Free Areas in Cobar:

  • West of Bathurst Street (between Bossie Mitchell Drive and the Cobar Caravan Park
  • Newey Recreational Area (Off Bellagoy Street & Knight Drive)
  • Kalgoogleguy Regeneration Reserve (Greenbelt)
  • Old Reservoir Reserve (Old Res)

Lost, Found and Stray Animals

Whether your pet is a dog, cat, rooster, horse or anything with feathers, fur or scales it is your responsibility as a pet owner to keep pets secure and prevent them from causing a nuisance to others. Requests may be lodged for Ranger Services to assist with lost, stray, noisy or nuisance animals where other attempts have failed. It is recommended that if an animal is causing an issue that you speak with the animal’s owner directly in the first instance so that they are aware of the problem and can take steps to reduce the problem without Council being involved.

 

Dogs and Cats

Dog attacks in rural NSW

Farmers are the backbone of rural Australia. Dog attacks from both wild dogs and from dogs that are not properly controlled by their owners can have a negative impact on a farmer’s livelihood. It is estimated that dog attacks on livestock cost farmers thousands of dollars each year in lost income.

Wild dog populations are mostly comprised of dingoes, feral dogs and crossbreeds of the two. Dog attacks, whether by wild dogs or our beloved domestic pets, not only kill livestock but can also reduce sheep flock production.

If you have lost a dog or cat, and it is out of normal work hours please call Ranger services during business hours (02 6836 5888) or visit Cobar Shire Council’s Administration Building to find out if it has been impounded by Council.

If you have found a dog or cat, you may make your own enquiries to find the owner such as asking neighbors, posting on Facebook pages, advising vets or local radio stations. If you fail to find the owner within 72 hours, the animal must be turned over to Council so that further attempts can be made to locate the owner.

 

Stock or Other Animals

If you have lost stock or another animal, please contact Ranger Services during normal business hours.

If you have found stock or if stock is causing a safety hazard such as being unattended on a road, please contact Ranger Services.

If an animal has trespassed onto your property it is recommended that you contact your neighbours to identify the owner. If you have not been able to identify the owner, Council may be able to assist you in finding the owner or you may privately impound the animal at your expense.

Nuisance Animals

Barking dogs are the most common nuisance behavior which Council Rangers respond to. Other nuisance behaviors may include repeatedly straying animals, destructive cats, crowing roosters or smelly horses. With all nuisance behaviors it is recommended that you speak with the animal’s owner to resolve the problem before involving Council.


Barking Dogs

Resolving a barking dog issue can be a lengthy process and requires the cooperation of the complainant and the dog’s owner. Council cannot remove a dog from a premises because it is barking. We will work with both parties to improve the situation utilizing regulatory tools available under the Companion Animals Act where required to improve the outcome.

What you can do:

  • Identify the correct address of the offending dog.
  • Speak with the owner and give them time to improve the behavior.
  • If the noise persists, lodge a complaint with Council. The Ranger will contact the owner and request them to reduce the barking.
  • If the offending dog is still causing a problem after 14 days, lodge a second complaint with Council. You will then be requested to keep a diary of the dog’s barking habits and detail the effect it is having on you. This will assist Council with their investigation and can be used in court as evidence if required. The diary will also need to be signed by a Justice of the Peace (JP) and you have to be prepared to attend court to testify, if necessary.
  • Forward the completed diary to Council. If the diary indicates that the barking is unreasonable Rangers will then carry out a neighborhood survey to determine if any other residents are affected by the dog to be confident of the validity and severity of the complaint.
  • If Council’s investigation reveals that the problem is significant a Nuisance Dog Order will be served. Failure to comply with the order may result in significant fines being issued to the dog owner.
  • If there is a lack of evidence the complainant will be advised to seek their own mediation through the Community Justice Centre or seek a Noise Abatement Order from the local court.


Feral/Nuisance Cats

Council have cat traps available for short term loan to capture feral or nuisance cats. Where the owner can be identified the cat will be returned to its owner and advice given to prevent the nuisance behavior. Feral or unidentified cats should be delivered to the Cobar Shire Council’s Animal Shelter.

If you have a nuisance or feral cat, you can request a cat trap from Council’s Ranger during business hours on. Traps are available for a period of fourteen (14) days.


Roosters

Although Roosters are permitted to be kept in residential areas it is not recommended due to the offensive noise they can create. Roosters are to be housed within a properly constructed sound reduction shed. Owners are encouraged to relocate them to a more suitable area to prevent possible further action.


Birds

Birds kept in a healthy and clean manner are not usually an issue for neighbors. Council’s Code for Keeping of Domesticated Animals provides guidance. There are also Standards that can be enforced under Schedule 2 of the Local Government Regulation.


Horses and Pigs

There are standards that can be enforced under Schedule 2 of the Local Government Regulation. Noise, Air, Land or Water Pollution can also be enforced under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act.


Stock

Straying stock on roads should be reported to the owner and/or Council immediately.

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