Dog Limit Laws Coming In Australia Wide. Update Info

[FD26]

It's already here :D

Same... we've had limits for a long time. I just got an exemption from my council.

Disgusting that puppy farmers are given the :D and genuine breeders are going to be hindered.

I'm pretty sure we have limits here as well, but you can apply for an exemption. It goes for dogs, and for cats. And the fee for exemption is pretty steep..

The app fee was $55.

Here's ours...from the council website:

Costs

Entire dog - $75.00 per year

De-sexed dog - $20.00 per year

Licence for more than 2 (two) dogs $105.00 (Plus registration fees for each dog) per year

Entire cat - $80.00 per year

De-sexed cat - $5.00 per year

Licence for more than 2 (two) cats $20.00 (Plus registration fees for each cat) per year

The cat one's not so bad, actually..I think that's quite reasonable. Well, if you get past the fact that they have to be registered at 3 months and it's not advisable to desex before 6 in a lot of cases lol, which they have no provision for.

Edited February 1, 2010 by FD26

[sandgrubber]

Is this two dog blanket rule meant to mean no extra dog permits? This is what I'm hearing, in which case this will affect breeders, rescue, show and performance people. Since most people in any of those areas have at least 3 dogs. It really is ridiculous.

In WA it's up to the shire. If they opt not to make exceptions, there are no exceptions. In urban/suburban areas it's uncommon to get permission for more than three, even with approval of all neighbours. I'm in the process of trying to move from a kennel zone to a rural location with six dogs. I find that most shires do grant exceptions for breeders on land that's zoned Rural or Rural Residential, but NOT Special Rural, but often permission requires Council permission, sometimes also consultation with neighbours. The EPA guidelines say there should be 500 m between the 'kennel' and any neighbours house.

[sandgrubber]

On further enquiry as to the reason for this proposal I was told it was on instructions for a nationwide blanket rule all over Australia instigated by the RSPCA who are asking all councils to enforce this rule.

Small hobby breeders with a small number of dogs will be a thing of the past. Large puppy farms will thrive in the small kennel zones & the honest breeders who can afford to live there.

This is going to happen everywhere.

Can you be more specific about where the directive is coming from? And what form it takes? Is the National RSPCA doing a campaign? I am asking cause I think it's easier to fight something if you know exactly what it is.

Also . . . in WA we already have a pretty strong 2 dog rule. Would be worth knowing whether they consider the WA system good enough.

Most California counties allow for 'hobby breeder' permits, usually up to 8 or sometimes 12 dogs in some land use zones (generally rural and agricultural). I think this is a good system cause it keeps noisy nuisances from developing in high density areas while forcing puppy farmers, boarding kennels, dog shelters, and very large breeders to go through difficult legal channels to get permission to operate. Government tends to be friendly to shelters . . . so it's not much of an impediment to them, though they may end up some distance from downtown. I think it would be worth fighting the 2 dog rule with proposal to allow for 'hobby' classifications in some land use classes.

Edited February 1, 2010 by sandgrubber

[Kirty]

FD26:

The cat one's not so bad, actually..I think that's quite reasonable. Well, if you get past the fact that they have to be registered at 3 months and it's not advisable to desex before 6 in a lot of cases lol, which they have no provision for.

Its actually perfectly safe and actually better for cats to be desexed before 3 months. Dogs are a different story though. :D

We have the "2 dog" rule all over Victoria.

[Guest Baylord]

Is this two dog blanket rule meant to mean no extra dog permits? This is what I'm hearing, in which case this will affect breeders, rescue, show and performance people. Since most people in any of those areas have at least 3 dogs. It really is ridiculous.

In WA it's up to the shire. If they opt not to make exceptions, there are no exceptions. In urban/suburban areas it's uncommon to get permission for more than three, even with approval of all neighbours. I'm in the process of trying to move from a kennel zone to a rural location with six dogs. I find that most shires do grant exceptions for breeders on land that's zoned Rural or Rural Residential, but NOT Special Rural, but often permission requires Council permission, sometimes also consultation with neighbours. The EPA guidelines say there should be 500 m between the 'kennel' and any neighbours house.

These laws came into effect in the Mundaring Shire in 1995 . For years the Shire was taking my registration money for 6 dogs and then out of the blue I get a letter to say no more.

I had to appeal to the state minister, by writing a report about my dogs (Bloodhounds) and what I was doing. They had someone come up and inspect my property and take photos.

I was one of the lucky ones, as I remember a lot of people were told they were only allowed to keep the extra dog if it was desexed.

The annoying thing is that I live on 63 acres. My hounds are secure because if you have a loose bloodhound you will surely end up with a dead bloodhound. They make a lot less noise than my neighbours dogs. And yet I am only allowed to have 6 hounds. Makes it all a bit of a challenge!

[sandgrubber]

It's already here

Same... we've had limits for a long time. I just got an exemption from my council.

Disgusting that puppy farmers are given the :D and genuine breeders are going to be hindered.

Yep it's here and as some of you know when I had a whinge in the WA thread, my local council won't even offer you the chance to apply for an additional dog. It's flat out 2 dogs only, tough biccies, big middle finger to us, yada yada. Grrrr!!!! :D

You might want to check out the For Sale / Real Estate section of DOL.. There's a half acre place in Kelmscott for sale at a pretty reasonable price . . . owner has had permission for several dogs . . . backs on parkland. Roughly $500,000.

[RubyStar]

It's already here

Same... we've had limits for a long time. I just got an exemption from my council.

Disgusting that puppy farmers are given the and genuine breeders are going to be hindered.

Yep it's here and as some of you know when I had a whinge in the WA thread, my local council won't even offer you the chance to apply for an additional dog. It's flat out 2 dogs only, tough biccies, big middle finger to us, yada yada. Grrrr!!!! :D

You might want to check out the For Sale / Real Estate section of DOL.. There's a half acre place in Kelmscott for sale at a pretty reasonable price . . . owner has had permission for several dogs . . . backs on parkland. Roughly $500,000.

Thanks, but I'm not really in the position to move right now. Only just moved into this place last weekend! :D

[moosepup]

Here's ours...from the council website:

Costs

Entire dog - $75.00 per year

De-sexed dog - $20.00 per year

Licence for more than 2 (two) dogs $105.00 (Plus registration fees for each dog) per year

Wowsers! I pay $18 per desexed dog for 3 years registration. There is no ongoing fee for having the extra dog license. So the cost for me when I get my 3rd dog will only be $54 every 3 years.

[FD26]

Here's ours...from the council website:

Costs

Entire dog - $75.00 per year

De-sexed dog - $20.00 per year

Licence for more than 2 (two) dogs $105.00 (Plus registration fees for each dog) per year

Wowsers! I pay $18 per desexed dog for 3 years registration. There is no ongoing fee for having the extra dog license. So the cost for me when I get my 3rd dog will only be $54 every 3 years.

I was thinking it was huge, but I've never had a dog in Australia outside the NT so had no comparison! We're moving in a year or two though, so maybe we'll move somewhere where it's not so bad? lol...never know. What's adelaide's costs like, anyone? lol

[Allerzeit]

We have the "2 dog" rule all over Victoria.

We do? :D

Maybe we don't really live in Victoria then

[SpikesPuppy]

We have the "2 dog" rule all over Victoria.

We do? :D

Maybe we don't really live in Victoria then

Maribyrnong Council (about as close to the Melbourne CBD as you can get!) has 3 dogs and/or cats without an excess animal permit :D The one good thing about that council- sigh.

[nikivds]

Some of those rego fees are crazy!! We only have to register them once (its a lifetime deal) and the prices are much lower

Desexed animal: $40

Desexed animal owned by a eligible pensioner: $15

Undesexed animal: $150

Undesexed animal owned by a breeder: $40

I have heard rumours that we have a 3 dogs limit but I have never seen it written anywhere or enforced.

[whippets]

With these kind of laws on purebred breeders the only dog you'll be able to buy in 10 yrs will be a Crapadoodle.

[FD26]

Wowza, this is the next council over:

The standard annual fee is $27.50 per sterilised/de-sexed dog, or $75 per entire dog.

A licence to keep more than two dogs is required at a fee of $170 plus a non refundable $135 administrative fee

Cats do not need to be registered.

So...I can have 50 cats and no need to register them, but for 3 dogs I have to pay $300?

[nikivds]

With these kind of laws on purebred breeders the only dog you'll be able to buy in 10 yrs will be a Crapadoodle.

:D :D

[Christina]

Have spoken to the council & not quite as it seemed when info on the meeting was relayed to me.

The reason for this is an update of by laws which is done every 7 years.

The kennel zone in this area did not exist when the last by laws were done 7 years ago.

There is a rule in the by law that says the council can make an exemption if a person requests permission to keep more than the specified number of dogs if they do not live in the kennel zone or are a registered business.

This rule will be kept as it is.

So thank goodness for a council that uses its common sense.

[Heidley]

I don't think it's that simple as the new by law proposal is for the whole council area and does not exclude the animal husbandry area.

[sandgrubber]

I don't think it's that simple as the new by law proposal is for the whole council area and does not exclude the animal husbandry area.

What new law proposal? I have yet to see any concrete reference to new laws. Just people saying that the RSPCA is making recommendations to councils.

[Erny]

I don't think it's that simple as the new by law proposal is for the whole council area and does not exclude the animal husbandry area.

What new law proposal? I have yet to see any concrete reference to new laws. Just people saying that the RSPCA is making recommendations to councils.

You're right (from what I gather from this thread). It is not a "by-law" until it is accepted by the Council/s. However, so many of them (and other Governmental departments) seem to hang off the words, wants and recommendations of the RSPCA that I would be concerned it is as good as "in" if we're not careful (ie let the Councils know of objections).

Edited February 3, 2010 by Erny

[Heidley]

I don't think it's that simple as the new by law proposal is for the whole council area and does not exclude the animal husbandry area.

What new law proposal? I have yet to see any concrete reference to new laws. Just people saying that the RSPCA is making recommendations to councils.

Not a new law a by-law from the Mallala council in SA. This council is change the by-laws relating to number of dogs to bring it in line with metro local governments. I have no idea if the RSPCA have been consulted in this particular instance