Domestic Pets include any animal, bird, insect, reptile or fish listed below which is kept in or about a dwelling for the interest, enjoyment or protection of its residents and not for sale.
Under the Council’s Local Laws, you may keep the following numbers of domestic pets:
| Bees | Not more than one hive |
Cage Birds | Not more than 40 pigeons, or two galahs, cockatoos, Magpies, kurrawongs, crows or corellas. |
Cats | Not more than four over the age of six months |
Dogs | Not more than two over the age of three months |
Ornamental Fish | No Limit |
Poultry | Not more than 20 over the age of three months |
Note: Non-domestic animals such as horses, cows, pigs, sheep, cockerels, turkeys, geese, peacocks, guinea fowl, alpacas, emus and ostriches are not allowed to be kept on land zoned Residential A, Residential B or Residential Low Density.
Exceptions to the number or type of domestic Pets kept
- Prohibited and restricted animals (in any number) are not allowed to be kept.
- Anyone wishing to breed pups or kittens for sale or to give away must obtain an animal vending licence. Hobby and boarding kennels must be licensed with Council.
- Keeping any more than the number of animals shown in the table above requires an Animal Keeping License.
- Dispensations apply for farmers registering more than one working dog.
- Trained guard dogs may only be kept by a registered security firm or a caretaker.
- If keeping a dog temporarily or looking after a relative’s dog, a license is required. If the total number of dogs on the property exceeds two, an Animal Keeping License will be required.
Are there any other rules about keeping animals?
Council’s Local Laws on Animal Control are designed to safeguard neighbourhood amenity and promote responsible pet ownership. Even though you are entitled to keep animals as part of a land use, there are other requirements which you must follow:
- The owner and keeper of a dog must ensure that the dog is registered.
- The keeping of an animal must not result in a nuisance.
- The keeping of an animal must not result in harm to human health or safety or personal injury.
- The keeping of an animal does not result in any significant disturbance, inconvenience or annoyance to a person’s quiet enjoyment of premises on which that person ordinarily resides.
- The keeper of an animal must not bring or permit an animal to enter or remain in a public place unless the animal in under the keeper’s effective control, ie On a leash.
- The keeper of an animal must ensure that the animal is kept within the prescribed enclosure at all times unless on a leash.
