Dogs

Household pets, usually dogs and cats, are part of the family in many Darwin homes. They are wonderful companions and loved members of the family. The health and social benefits of having pets are widely recognised. Most pet owners are usually healthy, happy and independent, more active, enjoy affection and unconditional love, feel more secure, do not feel lonely and suffer less from depression and stress.

Children who grow up with pets have higher self esteem and improved social skills with a good understanding of discipline and responsibility. Children learn how to share their time and companionship with a pet that is reliant on them and are more likely to be responsible pet owners of the future.

However owning a dog is also a large responsibility that should not be taken lightly. This website provides a lot of informaton about responsible dog ownership in Darwin. For more information about care of pet dogs in Darwin, please view the following information sheet:

Caring For Your Dog - information sheet


Managing pets within Darwin is complex. In approaching this task, Council has to consider many aspects:

• the rights and welfare of pets;
• the rights of the owner to enjoy their pet;
• the owner’s responsibilities; and
• the rights of other members of our community.