Local Government may implement local laws to enhance current state legislation to better suit the expectations of the community. To satisfy community concerns, the Shire has made and implemented both a Cat Local Law and Dog Local Law.

Dog Local Law

The Dog Local Law 2023 has replaced the previous Keeping of Dogs Local Law and the kennel aspect of the Kennel and Cattery Local law.

The effects of the Dog Local Law 2023 are:

  • Dogs must be effectively confined to a property when not held on lead or in an off-lead area and nuisance wandering dog owners may now be issued a fencing order to rectify the containment measures to specific requirements.
  • Limit of number of dogs on a property. Any property, other than Rural, may have 2 registered dogs. Owners may apply for a permit to keep more than two dogs, up to 6 dogs, where the property is suitable. Rural properties may have 4 dogs without a permit and up to 6 with a permit.
  • Where a dog foster carer as part of a registered body wishes to apply for a permit to keep more than 2 dogs, there will be no fee charged for the application.
  • The local law has provisions for where and how a kennel establishment may be operated.
  • The local law specifies that an owner of a dog must remove any excretion left in a public place or on private property without consent.

View the Dog Local Law here

Cat Local Law

The Cat Local Law 2023 has replaced the cattery aspect of the Kennel and Cattery Local law.

The effects of the Cat Local Law 2023 are:

  • Cats are not to cause a nuisance
    • nuisance means:

(a) an activity or condition which is harmful or annoying and which gives rise to legal liability in the tort of public or private nuisance at law;

(b) an unreasonable interference with the use and enjoyment of a person of his or her ownership or occupation of land; or

(c) interference which causes material damage to land or other property on the land affected by the interference;

  • Areas where cats are prohibited. The law has multiple public places where cats are prohibited, these include environmentally sensitive areas.
  • Limit of number of cats on a property. Any property may have two (2) registered cats. Owners may apply for a permit to keep more than two cats and up to six (6) cats where the property is suitable.
  • All cats subject to a permit must be confined to the property.
  • Where a cat foster carer as part of a registered body wishes to apply for a permit to keep more than 2 cats, there will be no fee charged for the application.
  • Limit on the number of breeding cats where the numbers are dependent on property size.
  • The local law has provisions for where and how a cattery establishment may be operated.

View the Cat Local Law