Having a dog is great, but that also means that you have the obligation to take care of it as you would for your own child. And since there are a lot of irresponsible dog owners, the Australian dog laws and regulations have become stricter. The main purpose of these laws is to protect pets from neglect and cruelty, but also to protect the community from dangerous dogs. In case you don’t comply with one of them, you can be fined or even banned from owning a pet.

According to the Australian law, all dogs at three months of age must be registered at the local council of registration and the registration must be renewed by the 10th of April each year. The dog council registration tag must be attached to its collar and worn all the time. This is a mandatory thing to do as it can greatly improve their chances to be returned if lost. According to the law, if the dog has never been registered before, it needs to be microchipped prior to registration.

Along with the council registration tag, adding a dog ID tag is also an option. They should contain the owner’s personal information like name, phone number and address as that way a dog can be easily returned if it ever gets lost. Dog ID tags can come in all styles, shapes and materials, however, the metal or aluminium types, in particular, are the most popular option these days. The reason for this is simple, an aluminium type of dog ID tag is lightweight and hard-wearing.

Regarding the style and design, you can literally choose whatever you want. Although the simple flat circle and rectangular dog identification tags are the most popular types, nowadays, you can choose a poodle, Australian shepherd, Chihuahua, bone, bow, heart, daisy, ladybug and many other shapes. There are also a lot of options when it comes to colour and shape, which can significantly ease your choice.

Tip: If you buy from a specialized dog store, usually they can provide you with a free engraving. Just make sure you give the right details, and in case any error occurs (on their part), they will send you a new ID dog tag.

The law says that if the ownership of a dog is transferred, the new owner should obtain the current certificate of registration as well as the current registration disc of the previous owner. The local council should also be notified about these owner changes, and you should also change the ownership details gathered by the Central Animal Records if the dog is microchipped.

Another important thing to know is that you will need to have a permit if you want to keep more than one pet in the household. However, there is also a limit on how many pets you can keep in one household, so before adopting a new pet, you should check this information with your local council.

According to the law, you are required to confine your dog to the property. This means that you should have a closed gate as well as escape proof fence high enough so your dog cannot jump over it.