Pets
Microchipping & Registration
We all love our pets and want to make sure they are safe. Ensuring they are microchipped and registered provides the Ranger with the ability to return your pet safely to you should they escape your residence.
In NSW, around 80,000 dogs and cats are lost, hurt or stolen each year. Most are impounded and are not able to be identified. Because they cannot be reunited with their owners, they may be destroyed. Under the Companion Animals Act, all owners of puppies and kittens must take two steps to provide lifetime protection for their pets.
Together these two steps will help return your pet to you if it is lost, hurt or stolen. Once microchipped and registered, your pet is protected for life. Please not that from 1 July 2020 new regulations are in place regarding non desexed pets and dangerous dogs.
Introduction of annual permits for non-desexed cats and dangerous/restricted dogs
The NSW Government is introducing annual permits for non-desexed cats and restricted and dangerous dogs as part of its commitment to promoting responsible pet ownership and improving animal welfare standards.
From 1 July 2020 owners of cats not desexed by four months of age will be required to pay an $80 annual permit in addition to their one-off lifetime pet registration fee. This will create a stronger incentive to desex cats, which in turn will improve their health and wellbeing, including reducing the risk of some cancers.
Improving desexing rates will also ease the burden on pounds and shelters, reduce euthanasia rates, and help to address concerns about feral, stray and roaming cats and their effect on wildlife. Exemptions are in place for cats that are registered by 1 July 2020, those kept for breeding purposes by members of recognised breeding bodies, and cats which cannot be de-sexed for medical reasons.
From 1 July 2020 owners of dogs of a restricted breed or formally declared to be dangerous will be required to pay a $195 annual permit in addition to their one-off lifetime pet registration fee. This will serve as a further disincentive to owning high-risk dogs and encourage owners to better manage the behaviour of their animal.
From 1 July 2020, pet owners will be able to pay for annual permits using the NSW Pet Registry website or through their local council.
Anyone registering a cat on the NSW Pet Registry will be informed that they must pay for an $80 annual permit if their animal is not desexed by four months of age. Annual permit fees will go directly to the Companion Animals Fund which pays for companion animal management by local councils including pounds/shelters, ranger services, dog recreation areas, and education and awareness programs. The fund is also used to operate the NSW Pet Registry and carry out responsible pet ownership initiatives.
Step 1
Puppies and kittens must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age for permanent identification. A microchip is the size of a grain of rice. Your pet will feel little pain as the chip is inserted quickly and safely between the shoulders. Inside the chip is a number which can be read by scanners to identify your pet.
Step 2
Puppies and kittens must also be registered through a local council on the NSW Companion Animals Register. The statewide Register records all microchip number, linked to owners' details. This means you can be informed if your pet is found. Your privacy is strictly protected as only authorised people can access the Registry, which is not linked to any other database.
Registering your pet is a one time only occurrence and fee. Please note that all dogs must be registered before they are the age of 6 months.
Koalas
The re-introduction of koalas to the bushland at the edge of Narrandera, began in 1972 when the first koalas were release into the newly established Flora and Fauna reserve. A second release was also conducted in 1974, totaling an overall release of 19 koalas into the reserve.
Each year the NSW Parks and Wildlife Service together with the Koala Regeneration Committee host a Koala Count. This event is a major event with locals and visitors from across the regional taking part in a walk through the reserve arranged is groups, searching for koalas in the area. Koala spotting is a family fun activity which also allows for a check on the health of the flourishing colony.
Stock Control
Stock animals such as cattle, sheep, horses and goats must be kept under control so that they do not cause damage to property or endanger life if found straying along roadsides. The effective control is the responsibility of the stock owners. The Impounding Act has provisions to deal with the impounding of stock and the return to owners or sale of impounded stock. The costs of impounding and release are passed onto the owner of the stock. Where stock is impounded under the Act in property owned by another person, or where damage occurs to another person's property, the owner of the stock is responsible for payment of costs involved.
The Department of Local Government has information about various Acts related to Companion Animals.
