Pets and animals

Pets can be a great addition to any family. Besides offering companionship and affection, pets can help you and your children to appreciate loyalty, responsibility, friendship and respect. They can also improve your health and reduce stress.

Choosing a pet

Choosing a pet is something you and your family should consider carefully—do you like smaller, easy to care for house pets or larger animals that might live outside?

The RSPCA has a checklist of things you should think about before you choose a pet.

Responsibilities

Being a pet owner also brings responsibilities. The Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008 (Qld) (PDF, 936KB) outlines obligations for cat and dog owners including:

• identification (i.e. microchipping) and registration
• responsible ownership (e.g. desexing)
• effective control of regulated dogs (i.e. dangerous, menacing or restricted dogs).

Registration

In Queensland, all cats and dogs must be registered with the local council:

• before they are 12 weeks old
• within 14 days after moving to a new local council area.

When lodging your completed registration form, you should include the registration fee and state:

• if your dog is a regulated dog—including declared dangerous, declared menacing and restricted dogs*
• if your dog or cat has been
  • desexed—include a signed certificate from your vet
  • microchipped—include the permanent identification device (PID) number.

For more information on animal registration, contact your local council or vet.

Microchipping

When your animal is implanted with a microchip, the microchip is given a unique number. When the microchip is read or scanned (harmless to animals) it shows information about the animal, including its owner and the owner's contact details. This information can be useful if your animal is lost or impounded.

Microchipping may be mandatory for your cat or dog—check the requirements.

For more information on microchipping, contact your:

• local council
• vet
• pet shop.

Desexing

It is not compulsory for pet owners to desex their cats or dogs in Queensland, but it is highly recommended to reduce the number of unwanted animals.

If your pet is being desexed, the vet must place a small tattoo inside its ear so it can be identified.

Animal permits

In Brisbane, you must apply for a:

• domestic dog permit if you keep more than 2 dogs—maximum of 4
• cattery permit if you keep more than 3 cats—maximum of 10.

A breeders or show permit is needed if you want to:

• keep more than 2 dogs for breeding, racing, sale or showing
• keep cats for breeding or showing.

See permits and licensing for animal exhibitors.

Permits may be required for other animals, including race horses. No permits are required for keeping chickens and poultry, but there are conditions and limits on their number.

If you live outside the Brisbane City Council area, contact your local council for more information on animal permits.

Regulated dogs

*In Queensland, regulated dogs are either:

• restricted dogs
• declared dangerous dogs
• declared menacing dogs.

Once your dog becomes a regulated dog, you have to follow certain conditions.

Restricted dogs

Under the Act, the following breeds are restricted dogs:

• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Brasileiro
• Japanese Tosa
• American pit bull terrier or pit bull terrier
• Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario.

Declared dangerous and menacing dogs

An authorised local government officer can declare a dog to be dangerous or menacing if it:

• attacked, or acted in a way that caused fear to, a person or another animal
• may, in the opinion of an authorised person, seriously attack or act in a way that causes fear to a person or animal.

All restricted, declared dangerous and menacing dogs must be microchipped, wear an identification tag, be kept in an enclosure with a sign displayed, and be kept under effective control.

Note: Declared dangerous dogs and restricted dogs must also be desexed and muzzled in public.

Dog attacks

It is an offence under the Act to allow or encourage a dog to attack or cause fear to someone else or another animal.

Contact your local council if you’ve seen an incident or if you have been the subject of a dog attack. Seek medical attention if needed.

Related links

• About pets—Australian Veterinary Association
• Guide Dogs Queensland
• Adopting an animal—RSPCA
• Knowledgebase—RSPCA (information on owning and caring for pets and animals)
• Taking your cat or dog overseas