There are a number of simple steps you can take to help ensure your pet is safe, healthy and well-behaved in the community:

•  Microchip and register your dog or cat.
•  Keep your contact details up to date by notifying Council or updating online at www.petregistry.nsw.gov.au when you move or change phone numbers.
•  Ensure your pet wears a collar and tag for easy identification.
• Keep your pet securely confined to your yard.
• Consider desexing your pet.
• Always leash your dog in public unless you're in a designated off-leash area.

• Clean up after your pet in public spaces.

Council encourages all pet owners to desex their pets. Desexing has health, behavioural and community benefits, and it also reduces registration costs.

Benefits of Desexing:

• Reduced risk of reproductive cancers and other health issues.
• Desexed pets are often quieter, cleaner and more home-loving.
• They are less likely to roam, fight, or mark territory (spraying).
• Desexed animals are generally less aggressive and safer around young children.

• Helps reduce the number of unwanted puppies and kittens euthanised each year.

Discounts on registration are available for desexed pets, with further discounts for eligible pensioners (with proof of sterilisation via a Desexing Certificate).

To help maintain accurate records in the NSW Companion Animal Register, please notify Council if your pet has passed away.

You will need to provide:

• Microchip number
• Owner’s name and address

• Approximate date of death

Deceased Animal Declaration Forms are available at the front desk of Council’s Town Hall Administration Office. 

If you sell or give away your pet, it is your responsibility as the  previous owner to notify Council.

This can be done:

• Online via www.petregistry.nsw.gov.au, or

• By completing a ‘Change of Ownership’ form available from Council.
  This form must be signed by both the old and new owner.

Failure to notify Council may result in a Penalty Infringement Notice.

It is important to update your details on the NSW Pet Register whenever you move or change contact information.

These requirements aim to:

• Help prospective buyers verify details such as breed, sex, age, and whether the animal is desexed or registered
•  Encourage responsible pet ownership and ethical breeding practices
• Support enforcement agencies in identifying and managing problem breeders

This allows buyers to make informed decisions and contributes to better animal welfare across NSW.

Your advertisement must include one of the following:

•  A microchip number, or
• A breeder identification number, or
• A rehoming organisation number

The identification number requirement applies to everyone, regardless of:

•  The age of the animal
• Whether the ad is placed online, in print, or in person
• Whether you're a hobby or professional breeder
• Whether it’s a planned litter or accidental
• Whether you are the original breeder or not
• Whether the animal has been born yet

This means the rules apply even if you're just rehoming a pet through a community notice board, social media post, or online platform.

The requirement applies to all forms of advertising, including:

• Online classified ads (e.g. Gumtree, Trading Post)
• Social media platforms
• Printed ads (e.g. newspapers, flyers, local notice boards)

Once an ID number is provided, potential buyers can search the NSW Pet Registry to view:

•  The animal’s breed
• Sex and age
• Whether it is desexed
• Whether it is already registered

This makes the rehoming process more transparent and helps promote responsible pet ownership.