Companion Animals Act

Information Available on:

• Regulations for dog owners
• Regulations for cat owners
• Micro-chipping your pets
• Registration of pets
• Guide to Off Leash Areas for Dogs

Department of Local Government - Companion Animals website has further information on the Companion Animals Regulation Act, fees that are in force and Companion Animals Forms.

 Regulations for Dog Owners

• All pups and dog sold or given away after 1st July 1999 must be micro-chipped and registered for life.
• All other dogs (except farm working dogs on rural properties and greyhounds) must be micro-chipped and registered for life within 3 years from 1st July 1999. These dogs must continue to be registered each year with a local council until they are micro-chipped.
• When away from your property your dog MUST
  • Wear a collar and registration tag
  • Be controlled on a leash (except in council off-leash areas)
• Dogs are prohibited from
  • Eating areas
  • School or child care grounds
  • Wildlife protection areas
  • Within 10metres of playground equipment
• A local council can declare a dog to be a nuisance if it is established that your dog repeatedly barks, damages other people's property or chases people, animals or vehicles.  

Regulations for Cat Owners

• All cats sold or given away and all kittens should be micro-chipped and lifetime registered from 1st July 1999.
• Cats must be micro-chipped before they are registered.
• If you already own a cat it does not have to be registered but should be identified either by micro-chip or collar and identification tag.
• Cats are prohibited from public areas where food is produced or consumed and from wildlife protection areas.
• A local council can declare a cat to be a nuisance if it is established the cat is persistently making a noise that unreasonably interferes with the wellbeing of neighbours or if it repeatedly damages other people's property.  

Micro-chipping your pet

• The aim of compulsory micro-chipping is to ensure that all owned animals have a means of permanent identification, which cannot be lost or tampered with.
• Micro-chipping is like a vaccination for your pet, it takes seconds to put the chip in the back of your pet's neck.
• Micro-chipping is low-cost, shop around for the price and service you need.
• You can get your pets chipped at
  • Your local vet
  • Some animal welfare organisations
• The number in the chip is read by scanners and will identify the pet's owners through a central registry.
• Only authorised people can access the pet micro-chip registry, the information about your pet will be used if your cat or dog is lost, stolen or hurt.
• Dogs and cats must be micro-chipped before they can be lifetime registered.  

Registration of pets

By registering your animal you can help to make sure that both your pet and your community have the benefit of information, assistance and regulation to ensure that their rights and needs are protected.

• After 1st July 1999 lifetime registration is necessary for all puppies, kittens and any dogs and cats which are sold or given away.
• The dog, cat, puppy or kitten must be micro-chipped before it is lifetime registered.
  Fees for registration are:
  • Cat or dog $150
  • Cat or dog owned by a registered breeder $40
  • Desexed cat or dog $40
  • Desexed cat or dog owned by a pensioner $15
• Trained assistance animals such as seeing eye or hearing dogs will be required to be micro-chipped and registered but there will be no registration fee charged.  

Guide to Off Leash Areas for Dogs

Maitland City Council recognises the benefits of dogs as companion animals and in doing so has recently adopted a "Plan of Management for Dog Exercise Areas". The plan outlines the areas that can be used for dog exercise in Maitland.

The Off Leash areas are available at:

Please note that only parts of the above areas are off leash. Each of the areas are signposted and a brochure providing more details and maps is available from Council's Customer Service Centre.

Important Information for Off Leash areas

• Please ensure you pick up and dispose of your dog faeces in the disposal bins provided. Failure to do so may result in a $200.00 fine.
• Please remember that you are still required to have control over your dog in off leash areas.
• Please note the provisions of the off leash areas do not apply to declared dangerous and restricted dogs. Failure to comply may result in a $440.00 fine.
• At all times please ensure that your dog wears a collar and tag. Failure to do so may result in a $110.00 fine.
• Please take note of the Council signs erected in the off leash areas.