We Got Our 3 Dog Permit

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

Just an update to let everyone know about Brisbane City Council and applications for a dog permit. You need a permit to keep three or four dogs in BCC areas. With Ruby being so sick (we didn't know if she'd make it through the cancer then the knee surgery) we put off getting the permit and registration...didn't want to jinx anything I guess.

So a few weeks ago, I went to the local library and customer service office, completed the paperwork, handed over the payment ($320 ) and waited for the council to respond. I was told it's usually a formality unless the dogs are known to council or have been identified as dangerous previously or if there's no proof of desexing. As none of that was the case, within a week we had rego tags for all three dogs. And a couple of days later, our permit arrived! ;)

So our dogs are legally registered! And Ruby is on the road to recovery with the knee so it's all good.

[Tassie]

That must be a relief.

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

That must be a relief.

It's actually a relief that we still have three dogs.

Ruby wasn't doing very well for a while...hence my reluctance to apply for the permit...just in case she didn't make it. I know others who went through similar things - applying for a permit only to have one or more of the dogs get seriously ill and die. I know we should have got it sorted out sooner but when Ruby got diagnosed with cancer, it felt wrong to put the paperwork in somehow. I think I had to be sure she would make it and now I am. She should be around for a few more years at least...thank goodness! ;)

[italmum]

yay thats great news!!! Good to see your ruby is doing better....and even more surprised that a council didnt knock something back for a change

[mita]

Glad you got your 3 dog permit.

We've had our 3-4 dog permit from the Brisbane City Council, for many years now.

When we first applied & got the permit, we had no idea that a council officer had visited all our neighbours to ask if they had any objections.

We only found that out, years later, when one of the neighbours told us. Obviously, they must have all been fine with it.

It sounds from what you were told that the Council doesn't do this any more. Just checks for any potential 'bad' spots in documentation.

[Loving my Oldies]

That is excellent news, Lillysmum, and even better about Ruby's health improving so well.

A question: if and/or when a dog dies and you have the three [or whatever number] dog permit, to get another dog, do you have to reapply with information about the new dog?

[mita]

A question: if and/or when a dog dies and you have the three [or whatever number] dog permit, to get another dog, do you have to reapply with information about the new dog?

The permit covers number of dogs....not specific dogs. We've had our permit for many years....& over that time it's covered a passing parade of shelties & tibbies.

It's the dog registration, which covers the individual dogs.

[Longcoat]

Excellent result

In some councils around Australia though, It's often difficult to get a 3 dog permit and you have to actually attain the 3rd dog first then apply for the permit. If rejected, you have to re-home one dog It's not surprising that people often keep a 3rd dog unregistered or have it registered at another address to aviod possible permit rejection when forced to attain the dog before council will accept a permit application.

[New Age Outlaw]

Congrats lilysmum! I recently applied for my domestic dog permit too. For some reason, they must have looked at the breed of dog I keep (greyhounds) and decided I must have applied for the wrong permit, so they granted me a breeder's permit instead. That's fine by me! I'm certainly not going to ask them to change it.

Edited April 3, 2010 by New Age Outlaw

[moosepup]

Congrats! I got my 3 dog permit recently too. Now just to get a 3rd dog.

[Loving my Oldies]

A question: if and/or when a dog dies and you have the three [or whatever number] dog permit, to get another dog, do you have to reapply with information about the new dog?

The permit covers number of dogs....not specific dogs. We've had our permit for many years....& over that time it's covered a passing parade of shelties & tibbies.

It's the dog registration, which covers the individual dogs.

Ta.

[Greytmate]

A question: if and/or when a dog dies and you have the three [or whatever number] dog permit, to get another dog, do you have to reapply with information about the new dog?

The permit will automatically lapse if the number of dogs registered to the property drops below three. Here in Ipswich the permit is called Special Permit (up to four dogs), and applies to the property. The dogs registered are named on the permit which has to be renewed annually.

We had a problem here. We got our Special Permit (up to four dogs) and had three registered dogs. One of our dogs died, so unbeknown to us the permit lapsed. But around the time it lapsed I registered myself with the council as a foster carer, so was issued with a Special Permit (up to two registered dogs and up to two foster dogs) to keep up to two foster dogs as well as up to two registered dogs. This permit was free and I had this for two years.

Then I decided to keep two foster dogs and register them in my name, and asked to change back to the Special Permit (up to four dogs). They wanted to charge me another huge application fee, so they could come out and inspect the property again.

I told them that I had continuously had four dogs on the property since the first permit was approved and didn't want to pay another application fee. I was happy to pay the annual fee though. After a little discussion with the manager, they eventually waived the application fee.

[Trishm]

In SA, with the Onkaparinga council, the permit only applies to the dogs at present on the property, if one dies, and you wish to get another one you have to reapply for the permit.

I have a permit, but was sent a letter with these stipulations.

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

If only the regulations were uniform. It makes life a bit of a challenge when you move from place to place as we have done. In Melbourne, we would have had trouble obtaining a permit for three dogs but as we adopted Molly literally right before the move, we didn't worry about it. In the ACT, you can register three dogs without a problem; it's only when you add a fourth that you need a permit. In NSW there are no dog limits so you can keep as many dogs as you like, assuming they cause no problems. In QLD, some councils restrict the numbers to one or two per household and getting a permit for more can be impossible. In others, it's not a huge hurdle to overcome, and BCC seems very dog-friendly compared to its neighbouring councils. In the part of Darwin where we lived, despite requiring a permit for more than two dogs, most people don't bother registering ANY of their dogs unless/until they get caught.

It used to be that the BCC did home checks and neighbour interviews, but I think that went by the wayside...I know that Moreton Bay still does them though, and the attitude I got when I enquired (before we had found this house) wasn't very welcoming of three dogs at all.

NAO, I'm not surprised that council gave you a different permit to the one you applied for! The woman I saw was a bit taken aback that we had a greyhound as a PET...and even more surprised that she is desexed...never mind that Lilly is ten yrs old now. I did mention that greyhounds make fabulous pets and that if the lady was considering her next breed, a greyhound could be ideal.

[julesluvscavs]

Excellent result

In some councils around Australia though, It's often difficult to get a 3 dog permit and you have to actually attain the 3rd dog first then apply for the permit. If rejected, you have to re-home one dog It's not surprising that people often keep a 3rd dog unregistered or have it registered at another address to aviod possible permit rejection when forced to attain the dog before council will accept a permit application.

Yeah what is with that !! I would love to see if i can apply for a third dog, but it worries me in re; to that condition

[julesluvscavs]

Thats great news LM!!

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

Excellent result

In some councils around Australia though, It's often difficult to get a 3 dog permit and you have to actually attain the 3rd dog first then apply for the permit. If rejected, you have to re-home one dog It's not surprising that people often keep a 3rd dog unregistered or have it registered at another address to aviod possible permit rejection when forced to attain the dog before council will accept a permit application.

Yeah what is with that !! I would love to see if i can apply for a third dog, but it worries me in re; to that condition :p

Me too! In some councils, you obtain the permit then the dog, and in others, it's the other way around...has me scratching my head there.

In the council area we lived in in Darwin, you had to get the dog first...then the permit. But if just one neighbour didn't like the idea of having three dogs in the area, then potentially you couldn't get your permit. It's the sort of situation that leaves people wondering exactly where they stand...and what if you move to the area with your three dogs which you've had in previous areas without a hitch and then one of your neighbours objects? How do you get around that, apart from having to re-home a dog? ;)

[Longcoat]

Excellent result

In some councils around Australia though, It's often difficult to get a 3 dog permit and you have to actually attain the 3rd dog first then apply for the permit. If rejected, you have to re-home one dog It's not surprising that people often keep a 3rd dog unregistered or have it registered at another address to aviod possible permit rejection when forced to attain the dog before council will accept a permit application.

Yeah what is with that !! I would love to see if i can apply for a third dog, but it worries me in re; to that condition :D

Me too! In some councils, you obtain the permit then the dog, and in others, it's the other way around...has me scratching my head there.

In the council area we lived in in Darwin, you had to get the dog first...then the permit. But if just one neighbour didn't like the idea of having three dogs in the area, then potentially you couldn't get your permit. It's the sort of situation that leaves people wondering exactly where they stand...and what if you move to the area with your three dogs which you've had in previous areas without a hitch and then one of your neighbours objects? How do you get around that, apart from having to re-home a dog?

With the councils that require you to get the dog first then apply for a permit and then be faced with re-homing a dog should the permit be rejected, some people I have known haven't taken the punt to bring attention to themselves with council and used alternative measures successfully, generally licencing one dog at another address, often a business address or friends address in the same council area. Some don't register the 3rd dog especially if two or the three are the same breed. If someone manages their dogs responsibly with a sneaky dog in the system that they don't want to get caught with, the one's I have known to do this, never bring attention to themselves with the neighbours etc to cause council enquiries. Council complaints against dogs are generally caused by mismanagement on the owners behalf, excessive barking, nuisence etc, so I guess with good dog management, who's really concerned about three well behaved dogs

[julesluvscavs]

long coat. I have heard of many people doing this, of course not everyone is going to publically admit to this tho ;-)

[Esky the husky]

^ The people I live with have done that

I don't know if they were aware they could have a permit to have more than 2 dogs though..

I've only just moved here so Esky isn't registered with the council yet