Pets & Animal Management

  • Email
  • Print

Animal Registration

Registration of Dogs and Cats

As well as being a legal requirement, payment of your pet's registration (and display of a registration tag) is a good way of ensuring that your pet can be returned to you if lost. Registration information is also used to send pet owners council publications relating to pet ownership and animal management.

How to register a 'New' animal

Please complete the New Animal Registration form & provide any supporting documentation such as desexing/microchip certificates, Guide/Customs dog certificate &/or a copy of your concession/pension card.

Free Registration Scheme

All animals under the age of 12 months that are both desexed and microchipped, will have their initial registration free of charge. This does not apply if the animal has previously been registered.

Any newly purchased animal over the age of 12 months that is desexed and microchipped will also have their initial registration free of charge (however, the animal must be registered within 4 weeks of purchase & proof of purchase must be provided when submitting the application).  Animals transferred from another Council are not eligible for the Free Registration Scheme. 

Why do pets now have to be registered at three months (instead of six)  of age?

Most puppies and kittens are purchased or obtained between the age of eight to twelve weeks.  Registering pets at a younger age ensures that more lost puppies and kittens can be returned to their owners.  In addition, owners receive discount registration fees if their pets are desexed & microchipped.  Lowering the pet registration age may encourage early age desexing of dogs and cats.  This may in turn prevent the breeding of unwanted dogs and cats, many of which are euthanased each year across Victoria.

Failing to register your dog or cat may result in a penalty &/or make you liable to prosecution.

Pay Your Existing Registration Renewal Online

Annual pet registration renewals are due by April 10 each year.

If all details are correct on your renewal form please make your payment using any of the available payment options listed via the link below or on the reverse side of the Renewal form.

If any details are incorrect on your renewal form,  please still make your payment using any of the available payment options listed via the link below or on the reverse side of the form.  (Corrections to this form will not affect your payment). Correct the information on the form and either return it in person, by mail, by fax to 9536 2757, by email or notify us online at eServices.  Corrections can only be made in relation to the animal listed on the renewal notice.

Please refer to the Pay Animal Registration page for available payment options.

If you are not renewing the registration of your dog/cat, please either complete the applicable section on the reverse side of the renewal form & fax the information to us on (03) 9536 2757, send us an email,  notify us online at eServices or contact ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777.

A separate New Animal Registration Form is to be completed for any other dog/cat not previously registered with council.  Please note that registration tags are not transferable between animals.

Return the completed form with the fee (see below) to one of the Town Halls cashiers and a tag will be issued on the spot. If you pay by mail, the tag will be posted to you with your receipt.

50% State Concession

If you wish to claim a State Concession (under the meaning of the State Concession Act 1986), you must supply one of the following cards:

  • a Health Care Card;
  • a Pensioner Concession Card issued by the Department of Social Security or the Department of Veteran Affairs;
  • a Gold Card specifying War Widow issued by the Department of Veteran Affairs;
  • a Gold Card specifying TPI issued by the Department of Veteran Affairs;
  • Carers Card.

Please note:  Seniors Cards & Student Concession Cards are not eligible for the pensioner rate.

Transfer of Registration

Dogs & cats that are currently registered in another municipality (within Victoria), can be transferred to City of Port Phillip & are exempt from paying any additional registration fees (for the current registration period), provided that proof of payment (by means of a receipt or confirmation from the previous Council) can be provided at the time of registration. (This does not apply to Restricted Breed dogs & dogs declared dangerous or menacing).  Please note that refunds will not be granted after 28 days. No refunds will be granted if your registration is transferred to another council.

Multiple Animal Permit

The City of Port Phillip Local Law No. 3, Clause 19, specifies the number of animals permitted on a property without a permit, depending on the dwelling type.

A permit is required where:

(a) more than two dogs or more than two cats are to be kept on any residential, commercial or industrial property at any one time; or

(b) more than one dog or more than one cat is to be kept in a flat or a unit at any one time; and

(c) Despite subclause (1), a person must not keep more than four animals on any residential, commercial or industrial property.

NOTE:  The permit application will not be reviewed unless all dogs/cats are registered prior to submitting the application, & the permit application fee is paid.

Please complete and return the Multiple Animal Permit Application/Checklist to Animal Management at City of Port Phillip, in person, by mail, by fax to 9536 2757, or by email, if you wish to apply for a permit to exceed the number of dogs & cats permitted for the respective dwelling type. 

Please note that a $55.00 administrative fee is payable upon submitting your application.  Payment of this fee does not guarantee automatic permit approval.  If in the event that the permit is refused, the application fee will not be refunded.

Poultry

  • You may keep Hens however, Roosters must not be kept or harboured due to the noise nuisance.
  • You must apply for a multiple animal permit if the number of poultry increases the overall number of animals at the property to over four as stated above.
  • Poultry or animal housing or a similar structure must be located on the property so that the amenity of the area or other premises is not affected by nuisance, noise or odour experienced because of proximity of the poultry or animal housing.
  • An owner or occupier must not construct or use any poultry or animal housing on any property unless it has adequate roofing, drainage, is rodent proof and has a floor paved with impervious material.
  • All poultry and animal housing must be maintained so that it does not cause a nuisance or offensive conditions or harbour vermin.  

Pet Identification

Registration tags

City of Port Phillip animal registration tags are blue circular discs and are printed on both sides.  The tag issued to your cat or dog will remain current provided that the registration fee is paid annually and the tag should be worn by the animal at all times.  This means your pet will keep the same registration tag each year with no need to go through the rigmarole of changing tags annually.

It is also a good idea for your pet to wear a separate ID tag with its name, phone number and address, so neighbours and passers-by can easily return your pet if it escapes from your property. 

If your pet loses its registration tag or it is damaged, a new one can be obtained by lodging a request via the eServices page or by contacting ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777.  Alternatively, you can pick one up in person at any of our Town Hall  locations.

What does the registration fee pay for?

Animal registrations fund only part of the animal management service including;

  • Stray animal collections;
  • Pound services;
  • Investigation and prosecution of dog attacks (& removal of dangerous dogs off our streets);
  • Patrols of beaches and parks for compliance;
  • signage;
  • Discount microchipping;
  • Subsidised desexing program (Desexing Vouchers);
  • Inspection of Domestic Animal Businesses;
  • Inspections of dangerous/restricted breed dogs;
  • Investigation of nuisance animal complaints;
  • Education for animal owners;
  • Identification tags & free replacement tags;
  • Registration incentive programs;
  • Free hire & removal of cat traps
  • Convenient payment options for pet owners.

 

For more information on the benefits of pet registration, see the Responsible Pet Ownership website & also the Pet Registration Fact Sheet.

Change of Address

If you have moved address within City of Port Phillip, please complete the Change of Address Form.

Relevant Links and More Information

See the Lost & Found Animals page for more information if you have lost your animal, or if you have found one.

See the Pet Owner Groups & Vets page for membership organisations, vets, breed clubs, kennels & catteries, pet shops and animal welfare organisations.

Use eServices to ask us a question, request information or give us feedback online or contact ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777.