Pets provide us with companionship, lower stress levels and provide a sense of security and belonging. There are lots of great reasons to keep a pet.

City of Darwin strives to ensure that dogs, cats, their owners and neighbours live together in safety and harmony in the Darwin community. It all comes down to one thing – responsible pet ownership. That’s why Great Pets Start With YOU.

Registrations

All dogs and cats kept in the Darwin municipality must be registered with City of Darwin by the 1 September each year.

There are many benefits to registering your dog or cat, including allowing us to easily reunite you with your pet if they stray, and access resources through the ‘Great Pet Starts with You’ campaign.

Animal Education Program

City of Darwin’s Animal Education team host a variety of events throughout the year, including animal adoption days, free microchipping events, free desexing events, community dog walks, and pop-up stalls providing animal owners with information relating to animal registration and the rules around keeping dogs on-lead, and picking up after dogs.

Infringements Issued as a Result of Animal Management Issues

It’s the responsibility of a pet owner to ensure their animal is contained to their property, behaves in an acceptable manner, and does not cause a nuisance to neighbouring properties.

City of Darwin is committed to delivering effective animal management throughout the Municipality to create a harmonious community for pet owners and non-pet owners. City of Darwin’s Animal By-Laws set out what is acceptable and what is not. City of Darwin enforces these By-Laws. The aim is always to avoid issues with pets in our community. Where necessary infringement notices (fines) are issued.

Declared Dogs

Dog attacks are a clear example of behaviour that is considered an offence by City of Darwin. Every week in Darwin there are several reported dog attacks.

Dog attacks are split into 2 levels:

1. Level One: The dog bites or holds a person or animal in its mouth, whether or not the holding is accompanied by biting, shaking, pulling or pushing or the person or animal suffers an injury, physical or otherwise.
2. Level Two: The dog approaches, chases, menaces, harasses or rushes at a person or animal in a manner endangering or causing fear, alarm or distress to the person or animal whether or not there is contact.

Ongoing nuisance behaviours, such as excessive barking, fence rushing, and being habitually at large, are also considered an offence by City of Darwin.

If a dog is found guilty of a dog attack or is found to be a continuous nuisance it is likely to be placed on the Declared Dog Register.

The declared dog register is split into 3 categories:

1. Declared Dog Category 1 is a dog that has committed a Level One attack.
2. Declared Dog Category 2 is a dog that has committed a Level Two attack.
3. Declared Dog Category 3 is a dog that is considered a nuisance animal.

Pound Activities

The City of Darwin Animal Pound plays an important role in reuniting lost animals with their owners, the rehoming of unowned dogs and cats, the control of dog and cat populations, and in the provision of veterinary services to these animals.