Dog and Cat FAQs

FAQs image of people holding question marks

Pet registration

Which animals need to be registered on the Companion Animal Registry?

All dogs and cats born or acquired after July 1999 must be microchipped and then registered in NSW.

Need assistance? contact Pet Registry:
Email: pets@olg.nsw.gov.au
Call: 1300 134 460

When does my animal have to be registered?

In accordance with section 2(9) the Companion Animal Act, a companion animal is required to be registered from the time the animal is 12 weeks of age.

  • An animal can be registered prior to reaching 12 weeks of age
  • An animal of any age can be registered
  • From 1 July, 2020 annual permits(PDF, 86KB) will be required for certain companion animals.
  • Other fees(PDF, 86KB)

Does my cat need to be registered?

Any cat born after July 1999 has to be microchipped and registered.

From 1 July, 2020 annual permits will be required for certain companion animals in addition to your lifetime registration payment.

Can I pay yearly registration?

No - from September 2002 the yearly system ceased to exist.

Commencing 1 July, 2020 annual permits will be required for certain companion animals.

What happens if I don't register my animal?

Failure to registered your cat or dog as required may result in you being issued with a penalty notice of up to $330, or a court may award a maximum penalty of up to $5500 or up to $6,500 if your dog is a restricted dog or a declared dangerous or menacing dog.

A late fee of $22 is also applicable if the registration fee has not been paid 28 days after the date on which the companion animal was required to be registered.

I received a fine for not registering my animal and I want to appeal. What do I do?

Once a fine has been issued any objection must be put in writing to the Revenue NSW Office for consideration.

Revenue NSW
PO Box 4444,
Parramatta, NSW 2124

Phone: 1300 138 118

How much does it cost for lifetime registration?

See Dog and Cat Registrations - fee information for the once-only payment, which covers the cat or dog for its lifetime in NSW, regardless of any changes in ownership.

Annual permits(PDF, 86KB) are required for certain companion animals, in addition to your lifetime registration payment.

Can I pay for animal registration over the phone?

No, as documents need to be sighted and forms need to be signed. You can pay for registration online via the Pet Registration website. 

How can I pay for registration?

Online

Payment can be made online if you have created a profile on the NSW Pet Registry. Payment cannot be made online for assistance or working dogs.

In person

You can also register your pet at:

Campbelltown City Council - Civic Centre
Corner Queen and Broughton Streets, Campbelltown

  • See our Customer Service Staff on the ground floor
  • Payments can be made by cash, cheque, credit card or EFTPOS at the cashiers
  • Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm
  • View map/Get directions

Or

Animal Care Facility
2 Rose Street Campbelltown - off Blaxland Road

  • Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm

Please note:

  • Animal Care Facility is run by appointment only, you can call the facility on 02 4645 4790 to arrange an appointment to pay registration.
  • Cheques are not accepted at the Animal Care Facility.
  • We require microchipping papers and a copy of a desexing certificate and pensioner status, if applicable, to process registration.

Can I pay in installments?

No. Full payment is required.

Location and office hours of the Animal Care Facility

Animal Care Facility
2 Rose Street (off Blaxland Road), Campbelltown

Phone: 02 4645 4790

Please call to make an appointment.

Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm
Sundays and public holidays Closed

 

Microchipping

When does my animal have to be microchipped?

In accordance with section 2(8) of the Companion Animal Act, a companion animal is required to be microchipped:

  1. from the time the animal is 12 weeks old, or
  2. when the animal is first sold (even if it is less than 12 weeks old).

Does my animal have to be microchipped to be on the Companion Animal Registry?

Yes.

How can I check if my animal has been microchipped?

Take the animal to a Veterinary Clinic, Animal Welfare organisation or the Animal Care Facility. The animal can be scanned to check for a microchip.

Where can I have my pet microchipped?

At a Veterinary Clinic, Animal Welfare Organisation or the Animal Care Facility.

Does my dog need to be microchipped and registered if it is old?

Yes - there are no exemptions for older dogs.

Pet ownership

I have moved and want the details changed, what do I have to do?

You can update your dog or cat registration details online on the NSW Pet Registry Website.

A Change of Address Notice(PDF, 404KB) is also available from the Office of Local Government's website. This can be filled out by the identified owner and sent to Council.

We cannot accept change of address details over the phone.

I sold or gave away my dog or cat, what do I have to do?

We cannot accept change of ownership details over the phone.

Change of ownership details are available for completion on the back of the Companion Animal Register Certificate of Registration. This needs to be filled in with the new owner's details and we must have the old owner's signature and the new owner's signature on the form.

A Change of Address Notice(PDF, 404KB) is also available from the Office of Local Government's web site. This can be filled out by the identified owner and sent to Council.

If you do not have the certificate or do not have access to the previous/new owner a Statutory Declaration is acceptable. The person filling in the Declaration must provide as much detail as possible, stating their name and address and the details of what happened in regards to the ownership/relinquishing of ownership.

The Declaration must be signed and the signature to be witnessed by a Justice of the Peace.

Fines may be issued where the identified owner of the animal does not provide Council with Change of Ownership details.

My animal died, what do I have to do?

If your pet dies, please inform Council to update the details on the state wide register.

We cannot accept details of the death of a companion animal over the phone.

My animal is missing, what do I have to do?

Council or the Animal Care Facility will accept notification over the phone of a missing pet, the details of which will be entered in the Companion Animals Register.

The owner is to provide as much detail as possible including:

  • Name and address
  • The animal's microchip number and when the animal went missing.

Check our Lost Animals page to see if your animal has entered the facility. You can also visit us in person during our opening hours, weekdays from 10am to 4pm, and on a Saturdays from 9am to 2pm.

Can I update my pet's details online?

The NSW Pet Registry enables lost pets to be reunited with their owners and is now available for cat and dog owners to:

  • Create an owner profile
  • Update your contact details
  • Transfer ownership of pets
  • Report your pet as missing and
  • Make payment for lifetime registration fees (except for assistance and working dogs).