NSW Dog Registration Fees

[_PL_]

As of July 1st 2020 a new schedule of rego fees was issued by the NSW Office Of Local Government. I hadn't paid much attention because with rescue, adopters only pay $30 rego.

 

But guess what. 

 

If you desex your dog older than 6 months your lifetime fee jumps from $60 to an incredible $216. 

 

How on earth is that incentive to even microchip?! Why would you want your dog to be traceable?

 

All I can think of is some kind soul finds a needy dog on Gumtree, definitely over 6 months old. Falls in love. They buy all the gear, maybe even pay training, pay to microchip, vaccinate, desex (and whatever else needs doing) and then rock up to council to pay rego only to be stung hard just for following the law. 

 

IMHO It's the most counter productive, revenue raising nonsense I've see in a long time.    It's going to set back their "responsible pet ownership" years.

 

Ranty rant over. 

 

Class of pet	Fee
Dog Desexed (by relevant age of 6 months)*	$60.00
Dog Desexed (by relevant age of 6 months + eligible pensioner)*	$26.00
Dog Desexed (purchased from an eligible Council pound/shelter or an approved rehoming  organisation)**	$30.00
Dog Not Desexed or Desexed (after relevant age of 6 months)	$216.00
Dog Not Desexed (not recommended)#	$60.00
Dog Not Desexed (recognised breeder)~	$60.00
Dog (working)	$0
Dog (service of the state)	$0
Assistance Animal^^	$0
Cat Desexed or Not Desexed*	$50.00
Cat Desexed (eligible pensioner)*	$26.00
Cat Desexed (purchased from an eligible Council pound/shelter or an approved rehoming  organisation)**	$25.00
Cat Not Desexed (not recommended)#	$50.00
Cat Not Desexed (recognised breeder)~	$50.00
Late Fee (if registration fee has not been paid 28 days after the date on which the animal is required to be registered)	$17.00

 

For more information visit the Department of Primary Industries website.

* Proof of desexing MUST be provided at time of registration - proof may include;

1.  A letter, certificate or clear receipt from a vet, or
2.  A statutory declaration from the owner that the animal has been desexed

** Proof an animal was purchased from a Council pound/shelter or an approved rehoming organisation MUST include;

1.   A receipt of purchase/transfer containing the animal's microchip number or,
2.  The animal's record on the NSW Companion Animals Register (CAR) has been flagged as eligible for the discount, or
3.  The animal's certificate of identification is marked (on the 2nd page) with text notifying the animal's eligibility for the discount

An approved rehoming organisation includes Animal Welfare League, RSPCA, the Cat Protection Society or any other organisation that is designated as a rehoming organisation by the OLG under section 88B.

# Proof a cat or dog is not recommended to be desexed MUST be provided in writing by a veterinary practitioner, specifying that;

1. A cat or dog should not be desexed at any time of its life as it would constitute a serious health risk to the cat or dog, or
2.  A cat or dog should not be desexed until it reaches the age specified by the vet (up to 18 months of age). If the cat or dog is not desexed by the age specified by the vet, additional fees or penalties will apply

~ Proof of Recognised Breeder MUST include;

1.  Proof of current membership as a breeder member of a recognised breeder body defined under clause 3(1) of the Regulation; and
2.  Documentation verifying that the cat or dog is of a breed accepted by the recognised breeder body; and
3. A signed statement by the member that the cat or dog is to be kept for breeding purposes

A recognised breeder body as of 30/6/2020 includes;

1.  Dogs NSW (Royal NSW Canine Council)
2.  NSW Cat Fanciers Association
3.  Australian National Cats Inc. (previously the Waratah State Cat Alliance)
4.  Master Dog Breeders and Associates
5.  Mini Foxie Club of Australia Inc.
6.  Cats NSW Incorporated

^^ Proof an animal is an assistance animal MUST include;

1.  A valid Assistance Animal Permit issued by Transport NSW, or
2.  A valid Assistance Animal accreditation issued by Australian Lions Hearing Dogs, or Guide Dogs Australia, or Mind Dogs Australia, or Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs, or
3.  A medical certificate stating the person ha a disability within the meaning of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, and
4.  A written report/assessment from an Australian training organisation recognised by Assistance Dogs International that the animal has been trained to alleviate the effect of the disability, and
5.  A written report/assessment from an Australian training organisation recognised by Assistance Dogs International that the animal has been trained to meet standards of hygiene and behaviour that are appropriate for an animal in a public place

[persephone]

That is just ridiculous ! 

[Pjrt]

So you only pay once for the lifetime of the dog? 
 

in SA it’s annual. Depending on the desex/microchip status of the dog it’s anywhere from 30-100 annually per dog as all councils have different fees and concessions. 
 

Id be happy to pay $500 if it was just once! 

[Rebanne]

how stupid! to penalise people desexing an older animal is just ridiculous. Won't encourage me to register an animal.

[Pjrt]

I don’t suppose they thought about people rehoming older entire dogs. It would seem to me the increase fee is to incentivise early desexing? 

[persephone]

Glad all ours are workers! 

[asal]

1 hour ago, Scratch said:

I don’t suppose they thought about people rehoming older entire dogs. It would seem to me the increase fee is to incentivise early desexing? 

nothing like encouraging too early desexing, as one vet noted early desexed dogs cost up to 7,000 extra over the lifetime of the dog compared to either late or not desexed at all!

 

Although those who are rehoming an older breeding dog, wouldnt they have already been registered as life entire by the breeder and hence no fee payable, just a transfer to new owner? desexed or not?

 

[jemappelle]

This came up on one of the Cavalier Facebook pages and some members said that they got a refund after providing proof of desexing.  

[asal]

1 hour ago, Rebanne said:

how stupid! to penalise people desexing an older animal is just ridiculous. Won't encourage me to register an animal.

 

in case you have not noticed, judging by so many laws turning out to have been so badly thought through, being intelligent does not seem to be a prerequisite for politics.

 

law degrees are thick on the ground among many of them. so they like to play the law game but that's just another form of chess game, just learn the game, the moves and the language so the voters havnt a clue what your saying is the way to go.

  

 

 

[Princess Fru Fru]

I've actually already seen a reply directly from the NSW OLG regarding this exact issue.  The response regarding having to pay the full $213 registration fee for a dog desexed post-6 months old is that the buyer should've been aware of the fees and what they were up for when purchasing the dog.

 

I can understand their position because this is how the new fees have been laid out and in a way, it's still only a once-off fee for the entire life of the animal -- I do not want an annual registration fee introduced into NSW.

 

The president of Dogs NSW also sent out a lot of misinformation in a Friday weekly update email stating that new owners are required to the pay the difference between the breeder registration fee and the non-desexed/desexed post-6 months fee if they purchase an older ex-breeding dog.  This is completely inaccurate and concerning when the information comes directly from the Dogs NSW president.

 

A dog in NSW is registered for its entire life, therefore the only thing that needs updating if the animal is on-sold is the Change of Owner information either via form or online via the NSW Pet Registry website.  Once a dog has been registered, you don't get asked to show proof you're a breeder to maintain the "breeder non-desexed discount", nor are you asked to pay the difference.

 

The only time you would be required to pay the registration is if you purchased an older un-desexed or de-sexed post 6 months dog from outside of NSW.  In this case, the dog has NEVER been registered in NSW and is therefore required to have the lifetime fee paid (whatever that amount is).

 

I personally don't see why everyone complains so much about paying a registration fee for animals.  It's seriously such a small amount of money that is a once-off fee.  Maybe if you can't afford a once-off, lifetime fee, you should be asking if you can really afford quality pet care because food, vaccinations and health care cost a lot more than one, tiny lifetime fee.

[_PL_]

6 hours ago, Rebanne said:

how stupid! to penalise people desexing an older animal is just ridiculous. Won't encourage me to register an animal.

 

This is my point. I know some states have yearly rego with councils. We're fortunate that way.

And what if your dog is desexed at 7 months, or you've gotten an older pet which have extra expenses anyway? I know all about vet bills for older pets. :-/

 

I just don't see why we've jumped up SO much just to (I guess?) encourage early desexing but basically penalise microchipping at the same time. To me they can't enforce chipping, so now a whole lot more dogs will go unchipped and untraceable because people will jack up at what is basically a fine and not bother.

And I don't believe for one moment that if you can't afford a hit of $216 on top of the vet bills they just paid (I know people who have paid $600 for lapraroscopic desexing) and pet supply purchases, that it means you can't afford to have a dog. 

[tdierikx]

Look at the fees for cats... no difference whether they are desexed or not!?!?! Only discounts are if you are a pensioner or got it from an approved rescue... where is the incentive to desex there?

 

Cat rescues are gonna get a whole lot busier methinks... *sigh*

 

I'm glad I paid my lifetime rego for my 2 dogs before this change... both were desexed older than 6 months...

 

T.

Edited October 15, 2020 by tdierikx

[moosmum]

The usual mistake, I think, of targeting only effective to those who are already 'responsible'.

I don't so much mind extra fees,in moderation, If for the dogs lifetime.

 

Exemptions and reductions though are far too restrictive and specific for developmental potential of domestic Dogs.