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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 both microchipped and registered 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 on 02 6836 5888. Fees are as per Council’s current Fees & Charges.
Microchipping also can be done at Kidman Way Veterinary Surgery. Please call 02 6836 4188 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 both registered and microchipped 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.
All dogs being used to hunt feral pigs must:
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:
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.
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:
Leash Free Areas in Cobar:
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 please call Council during business hours on 02 6836 5888 or visit Cobar Shire Council’s Administration Building to find out if it has been impounded by Council. Check Cobar’s social media pages for lost and found animals.
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 Council during normal business hours on 02 6836 5888.
If you have found stock or if stock is causing a safety hazard such as being unattended on a road, please contact Council on 02 6836 5888.
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.
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:
Feral/Nuisance Cats
Unlike dogs, cats are permitted to roam in public places and onto private property. However, cat owners need to consider the impact that a cat may have on neighbours and are encouraged to keep their cat in at night to minimise antisocial behaviour and the hunting of other animals. Owners must ensure that their cat stays out of restricted areas including food preparation and wildlife protection areas.
You cannot seize or impound a cat just because it is wandering on your property. If a cat is found attacking native wildlife, causing too much noise or damaging gardens, they are considered to be a nuisance under the Companion Animals Act. If you find a cat involved in any of these activities on your property then you have the right to seize the cat and return it to its owner in the first instance (if you know who the owner is) or deliver it to Council’s Animal Shelter.
Please note that we do not provide a pick up or capture service for cats.
To deliver a cat to our Animal Shelter, please call Council on 02 6836 5888 to arrange an appointment time to ensure appropriate Council staff are available at the Shelter to receive the animal.
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.