Council is committed to ensuring responsible pet ownership throughout the municipality. There are rules and guidelines to assist the community in the management of animals, from the care and registration of your pet, to dangerous or nuisance animals. Council's Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP) enables Council to take a greater strategic approach to animal management within the municipality by:

• Promoting and encouraging responsible pet ownership;
• Encompassing an effective management of dogs and cats through desexing programs
  and identification through microchipping of cats and dogs; and
• Reducing public and environmental nuisances caused by dogs either wandering and/or
  not under effective control in public places and open spaces.

Council's Domestic Animal Management Plan is available by contacting Council's Compliance Unit on 5366 7100.

Cat Policy

Cat Brochure

All cats and dogs in the Moorabool Shire aged 3 months and over must be registered. Renewal of your registration is required by 10 April each year and a renewal form is mailed out annually prior to the deadline. Effective as of 1 May 2007, all animals being registered for the first time MUST be microchipped and proof of microchip must be provided with the registration form.

Standard fee for animal registration is $82.70. ($27.50 reduced fee for animals which are desexed, over 10 years old, kept for breeding at licensed premises, registered with approved applicable associations, microchipped, dogs kept for working stock or dogs which have undergone obedience training with approved organisations.) To qualify for reduced fees documentary proof of the category being claimed for or a Statutory Declaration (on Council's registration form) must be provided.

Pensioners who present a concession card receive a discount on the above fees.

Registering your pet will assist the return of your pet in the event that it becomes lost. Council's Local Laws Officers can check the number on the registration tag of a stray animal, and notify the owner that it has been found.

If your pet loses its tag, a new one can be obtained from Council. If you have any further queries regarding registration of your animals please contact Council's Compliance Department on 03 5366 7100.

With the current bushfire season upon us, the RSPCA (Victoria) have prepared some up-to-date information on caring for your animal in an emergency that may be of interest titled ‘RSPCA Victoria - Preparing your animals for an emergency'.  You can view this information by clicking here www.rspcavic.org