RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP
While owning a pet can be lots of fun, there are lots of responsibilities as well.
Much of being a responsible pet owner involves knowing your pet’s rights, the
Law and the community’s expectations about responsible pet ownership.
The Domestic Animal Act 1994
The Victorian State Government recently introduced some very tough laws to
punish irresponsible pet owners. Owners who neglect and not look after their
pets and owners of dogs who attack another person or an animal can be fined
lots of money or in some circumstances imprisoned.
Extra animal permit:
If you live in a house or flat you are allowed to keep four dogs or cats under three
months old or two dogs or carts over three months old. If you wish to keep more
dogs or cats you will need to apply for a permit. There may be restrictions and
permits required for other types of animals, please contact Council for further
information.
Stray and unwanted cats:
Research has found a major contributing factor to this problem is people feeding
unowned (stray and feral) cats but not taking full responsibility for them. Feeding
unowned cats helps keep them strong enough to reproduce, they continue to
breed more and more kittens into a life of disease and neglect.
If there are stray or unwanted cats in your area that you want removed, please
contact Council.
Registration:
All cats and dogs over the age of three months must be microchipped and
registered with Council.
You must apply to renew your registration by 10 April each year. Penalties may
apply for late registration renewals.
When you register your pet, you will receive a registration tag that will help your
cat or dog be returned to you if it becomes lost.
Desexing:
Having your pet desexed prevents unwanted pups or kittens being born and can
help make animals less aggressive and not wander as often. Council offers
cheaper registration for desexed animals and has introduced a voucher scheme
for lower income residents to desex their animal.
Micorchipping:
All cats and dogs over the age of three months must be micorchipped prior to
registration with Council. A microchip provides a permanent form of identification
which can quickly reunite you with your lost or injured pet.
A microchip is a tiny computer chip about the size of a grain of rice, which has an
identification number programmed into it. The microchip will last the lifetime of
the animal. The microchip is injected under the animal’s skin and is a simple
procedure, which causes no side effects. To identify the animal, a scanner that
reads microchip numbers is passed over the animal’s skin. The scanned number
can be checked against a register, which provides details of the animal’s
ownership.
Leash laws:
Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times when in public places unless in a
designated off-leash park,(please see Council’s website for a current list of offleash parks within Moonee Valley). . Dogs are also not allowed within 15 metres
of any children’s playground, public barbecue and must be on a leash within 15
metres of a shared path or exercise equipment area.
Off-leash parks are located at:
Aberfeldie
Aberfeldie Park, The Boulevard (Mel 28 C6)
Airport West
Davis Reserve, Fullarton Street (Mel 15 G9)
Ascot Vale
Fairburn Park, Woods Street (Mel 28 C9)
Avondale Heights
Thompson Street Reserve, Thompson Street (Mel 27 C5)
East Keilor
Allan Reserve, Park Drive (Mel 27 D2)
Spring Gully Reserve, Keilor Road (Mel 15 G10)
Essendon
Cross Keys Reserve (Eastern end only)
Bridge Road (Mel 28 K1)
Flemington
Travancore Park, Mooltan Street (Mel 29 B10)
Strathmore
Boeing Reserve (Northern end only) (Mel 16 D5)
Cat Curfew:
To promote a safe environment for all pets in Moonee Valley, Council has a cat
curfew. All cats must be kept on their owner’s property at night between sunset
and sunrise. The curfew aims to keep all cats safe as well as protect the
environment and local wildlife.
Animal poo:
You must clean up after your pet in public places, including streets, parks, shared
walkways etc. Council has provided, at some of its parks, bag dispensers to
assist dog owners to pick up animal poo, however it is your responsibility to carry
a bag with you when you leave to take your dog for a walk.
Barking dogs:
Dogs that bark too much can be annoying to your neighbours and they have a
right to complain. Dogs can bark out of boredom, loneliness, fear or frustration or
for medical reasons. To stop your dog barking, take it for regular walks and make
sure it is in good health and has fresh water, a balanced diet, toys and adequate
shelter from hot or cold weather.
If your dog constantly barks you may be fined or taken to court where you could
be ordered to take action to stop your dog barking.
Dangerous Dogs:
Dogs are declared to be dangerous if they have caused serious injury to a
person or another animal, if they have been trained to attack or if they are kept to
guard a non-residential premise or has been declared by Council.
A dog may also be declared menacing if it rushes at or chases someone. There
are specific laws for owning dogs that are considered and have been declared
dangerous. Dogs that have been declared dangerous must be kept in a special
caged enclosure with appropriate signage on the property where the dog is kept.
Restricted Breed dogs:
Certain breeds of dogs are designated as being Restricted Breed types, they are:
Japanese Tosa, Fila Brasiliero, Dogo Argentino, Perro de Presa Canario ( or
Presa Canario) and American Pit Bull Terrier (or Pit Bull Terrier). These dogs
must be registered with Council and only of they have been previously registered
in the state prior to 1 September 2010. There are specific laws related to the
keeping of these types of dogs. These dogs must be kept in a special caged
enclosure. For more details contact Council.
Lost and found animals: If you have lost your pet or found a stray animal:
 Check the Lost Dogs Home website at lostdogs.com.au

Call the Lost Dogs Home and Cat Shelter on 9329 2755 or visit 2 Gracie
Street, North Melbourne.

Call Council during business hours (8.30am to 5pm) on 9243 8888
If you have found a stray animal, report to Council, you will need to give a
description of the animal and location last seen. Council will arrange for the
animal to be collected and taken to the owner or pound so that it can be reunited
with its owner.
Complaining about an animal in your neighbourhood:
Before raising a complaint, you should talk to the owner of the animal. They may
be unaware of the problem. If you cannot reach a resolution you can call the
Dispute Settlement Centre on 1800 658 528 for free advice or call Council and
lodge a complaint, which will be investigated by Council’s Local Law officers.