Registration is compulsory for dogs aged six months and over, in accordance with the Dog Control Act 2000. If you don’t register your dog, you may be issued with an on the spot fine.

Dog registration fees are payable annually and due by 31 July each year. There’s a discount if you pay earlier and reduced fees for pen­sioners and those with desexed dogs. Penalties apply if you don’t pay by 31 July.

Brighton Council’s animal control officer checks dog registrations in the Brighton municipality. The officer may enter and remain in or on any private premises at any reasonable time to check how many dogs are there, and whether they’re registered and micro­chipped. An authorised officer may also search for and seize any dog on that land if there’s rea­son to believe that the person in charge of the dog has committed an offence.

Is your dog microchipped? They need to be. It’s mandatory!

Microchipping is mandatory for dogs over six months old. Micro­chipping is a permanent means of identification which helps identify dogs, particularly if they become lost. You need to let Council know of your dog’s microchip number as this isn’t passed on from shelters and vet clinics.

Own more than two dogs? You need a kennel licence! If you want to keep more than two dogs on premises in a non-residential area – or in the case of working dogs, more than four – you need to apply to the General Manag­er for a licence. In some cases you’ll need a planning permit from Council for a dog kennel. For those in a residential zone (Bridgewater, Gagebrook, Herds­mans Cove, Old Beach, Brighton, etc) you’re not permitted to have more than two dogs. Penalties apply if you exceed that.

Keep everyone safe. How to prevent dog attacks.

As a dog owner, you’re legally responsible for how your dog behaves. By managing your dog correctly, you can prevent it from attacking peo­ple and animals:

• Never allow your dog to wander unsupervised
• Install secure fencing and regu­larly check it
• When you’re out, keep your dog on a leash.

In public your dog must be teth­ered or on a leash, unless the place is a designated off-lead area. You can exercise your dog in desig­nated off-lead areas, however, you’re still responsible for the control and behaviour of your dog. Allowing your dog to wander puts its health at risk and can endanger others. Every year pets are im­pounded for attacking people and livestock.

Being a responsible dog owner involves more than just provid­ing food and water; it also means ensuring your dog is trained, controlled, vaccinated, registered and exercised.