Obligations and responsibilities

Nuisance animals

Owners are responsible for their animals behaviour, however often owners are not aware if their dog is a nuisance to neighbours.

It is recommended that neighbours speak with dog owners as soon as the dog becomes a nuisance so they are made aware of the issue and can take steps to resolve the problem.

If the nuisance continues after speaking to the owner, you can report the matter to Council.

How to report a nuisance animal

Barking dogs are common nuisance animal complaints to Council.

To report a nuisance animal please contact Council to lodge a service request.

You will be given a document identification number for your records. A Council officer will contact you for a confidential discussion on the matter and advise you of the process to be undertaken.

Please be aware that due to the provision of a person's legal rights, Council cannot investigate anonymous complaints unless the alleged offence can be witnessed from the street.

Obligations and registrations

As a pet owner you’re required to adhere to the following conditions in keeping your animal:

Dog registration

All dogs aged 12 weeks and over must be registered with Council, as a requirement of the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008 (the Act).

By registering your dog, Council is able to reunite you and your pet if it is impounded or to notify you in case of an accident.

View Council's Fees and Charges Schedule for the latest dog registration fees.

Registered pet owners will receive a renewal notice with current fees from September.

Registration fees enable the Council to deliver a wide range of animal management services including the Animal Management Centre, dog patrols and community information about responsible pet ownership.

Registration and other Forms

Download the Registration of Dog/Adoption Agreement(PDF, 89KB) and take this to your local Council office with a copy of your pet's original microchip and desex certification.

Download an Update of Animal Registration Details Form(PDF, 710KB) if any details have changed, and submit it to your local Council office. To check your registration details, call Council on 1300 ISAACS (1300 472 227).

Please note, as of July 2014, cat registration is no longer compulsory in the Isaac region.

Keep an eye out on your mailbox as dog registration renewals are being sent from 16 August 2024.

It has never been a better time to make sure your furry friend is safe, with a 50% discount on renewal notices if paid before 13 September 2024. That deal is fur real!

Recently moved to town or got yourself a new best friend? No worries! You can grab a form from Council’s website or pop into your local office.

Why register your dog with Council?(PDF, 640KB)

Microchipping

The Act states that dogs must be microchipped before:

reaching 12 weeks of age
being sold (seller's responsibility)
being given away (responsibility on the person giving away the animal).

Beyond meeting the legal requirements for dog ownership, microchipping your dog also means if your dog is lost and is not wearing its registration tag, Council can identify its owner from the microchip.

If your dog was born before 11 December 2010, you are not legally required to microchip you pet, however it is advised.

Effective control and restraint

Wandering dogs are a concern in the Isaac region, they have the potential to cause vehicle accidents or worse, attack pedestrians or other animals.

As the owner or responsible person of an animal you have a duty to provide and maintain a proper enclosure to prevent it from wondering.

When in public the owner or responsible person must at all times ensure their animal is under effective control. Local Law No. 2 (Animal Management) 2011(PDF, 6MB) states that an animal is under effective control only if the person is physically able to control the animal by being held on a leash, halter or rein, or held in a temporary enclosure, or tethered it to a fixed object which cannot be moved or tethered it in or on a vehicle and unable to reach beyond the vehicle extremities.

Failure to appropriately restrain or effectively control your animal could result in the seizure of your dog and fines for non-compliance.

Keeping multiple animals

Under schedule 1 of the Local Law No. 2 (Animal Management) 2011(PDF, 6MB) it is prohibited to keep more than 2 dogs over the age of 3 months on an allotment (such as a house) and more than one dog on a multi-residential premises (such as a townhouse).

Declared dogs

Owners of declared dogs are required to adhere to strict mandatory conditions for keeping their dog.

If you’ve recently moved to the Isaac region and own a declared dog, you are required register your dog with Council within 7 days.

For more information on declared, regulated and restricted dogs click here(PDF, 874KB).

Fines for non-compliance

Penalty Infringement Notices can be issued for a breach of a Council local law or a breach of State law.

Visit www.legislation.qld.gov.au for more information on state laws, Queensland legislation.

The dollar value of an infringement is displayed on the infringement notice and is dictated by the penalty unit value set by the Queensland Government under the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992.

For more information on Penalty Infringement Notices click here(PDF, 886KB).