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Animals

The Town of Claremont's Rangers are responsible for the registration of cats and dogs. The Rangers are also authorised to monitor and enforce compliance with laws regarding the behaviour and control of dogs. This includes barking and reporting lost and found dogs.

Dogs

All dogs over the age of three months must be microchipped, registered with the Town and wear a registration tag in public places.

As a dog owner, you must also ensure that:

  • Your dogs are not a nuisance or dangerous to the community
  • Your dog does not wander without proper control
  • You clean up after your dog in public places
  • Your property is adequately secured

For information on and to register your dog, please click here.

Lost registration tags

Lost registration rags can be replaced at the Town's administration building at a cost of $15.

All dogs must be on a leash in public places, except when they are in a designated dog exercise area, as per the dog exercise areas map.

Despite being off-leash, dogs being exercised in these areas must still be under effective control of the owner/walker at all times and must not create a nuisance to other people.

A $200 infringement notice may be issued to owners whose dogs do not meet these requirements.

A fine of $200 is applicable for dogs walking without a leash outside designated dog exercise areas. Dogs found wandering without an owner/walker are impounded at Swanbourne Veterinary Centre.

Excessive barking is one of the most common complaints reported to the Town. Barking is monotonous and repetitive, and a sound that few people can tolerate for any length of time.

According to Section 38 of the Dog Act 1976, a dog must not cause a nuisance by barking. The Town may take action against a dog owner if three or more people from at least two different properties are affected by the noise. Complainants must be willing to declare this in writing and may also be required to attend a court of Petty Sessions.

To report a barking problem, please contact us.

If you find a lost or stray dog, please contact the Town's Rangers:

We'll arrange to collect the dog from you at a mutually convenient time, and will do what we can to reunite the dog with its owner.

Found dogs are taken to Swanbourne Veterinary Centre.

  • Unregistered dogs, or dogs with no identification tags, are held at the centre for a minimum of three days to give the owner a chance to find it
  • Owners of registered dogs, or dogs with identification tags, will be contacted by the Town's Rangers. Identifiable dogs are held at the centre for seven days, or until they are collected

Dogs are released on payment of a $135 impound fee, plus $40 per day sustenance fee. A current dog licence must be produced in order to take the dog home.

Cats

All cats over the age of six months must be:

  • Microchipped
  • Sterilised
  • Registered with the Town of Claremont
  • Wear a registration tag in public places

For information from the RSPCA about cat containment, please click here

Registration fees for the Town are set by the Cat Act 2011.

In order for the registration to be completed, you must provide:

  • A microchip certificate
  • A sterilisation certificate

For more information including a form, please click here.

Claremont’s bushlands are home to a variety of protected native species including the endangered Quenda at Lake Claremont. For the protection of these species and other wildlife, it’s vital owners confine their cats to within property at all times, specifically at night. Cats are predatory by nature, and can severely harm or kill native flora and fauna.

The Town’s new Catio Grant Program supports the building of enclosed areas in backyards for domestic cats, allowing the pets to spend time outside without the risk of harming native wildlife.

A catio is a fully enclosed space that allow cats to be outdoors in a contained area. These enclosures provide an enriching outdoor space for pets while protecting native wildlife and reducing altercations with other cats.

For more information visit the community funding page.

Native Wildlife

If you find sick, injured, or distressed native wildlife, please contact the Wildcare Helpline.

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