Wandering Dogs

 

 Wandering Dogs Information Sheet (1.40MB)

 

Wandering DogsOwner Responsibilities

As a dog owner, you have a responsibility to keep your dog contained inside your property.

The Companion Animals Act 1998 requires that “the owner of a dog must take all reasonable precautions to prevent the dog from escaping from the property on which it is being kept”, which means you need to have fencing that your dog cant jump over, dig under, push over or get through. If you don’t have fencing, your dog must either be kept inside an enclosed space or chained to a fixed point or dog run.

It is against the law for dogs to wander the streets as they can cause vehicle accidents, damage to property and intimidate the public. If a dog is found “at large” and seized by Council, your dog may be taken to Council’s animal holding facility at Hawkesbury and you could attract a $220 penalty notice (fine) plus any pound fees.

Council encourages all dog owners to walk their pets, however, when walking your dog you must keep them on leash at all times with the exception of off-leash areas. If you are caught without your dog on a leash, you may receive an on-the-spot penalty notice (fine) of $220.

Council provides numerous designated off-leash areas throughout the shire. In these areas, dogs are free to roam the park and play with other dogs. However, your dog must be controlled by a competent person over the age of 16 and be able to respond to voice command and you must remove and dispose of all dog waste.

The Hills Shire Council off-leash areas can be found at:

  • Balcombe Heights Reserve, Seven Hills Road, Baulkham Hills
  • Castle Hill Showground (lower dog arenas)
  • Connie Lowe Reserve, Adelphi Street, Rouse Hill (within the fenced area)
  • Coolong Reserve, Coolong Street, Castle Hill (within the fenced area)
  • Crestwood Reserve, Peel Road, Baulkham Hills
  • Dewhurst Avenue Reserve, Castle Hill 
  • Don Moore Reserve, North Rocks

 

Community Responsibilities

If you happen to find a stray dog either walking the streets or at your property and take the dog into your custody, you have a responsibility to either return it to its owner (if you know who the owner is), contact Council or take it to an animal holding facility such as a vet. By law, a member of the community can only hold a stray dog for a maximum of 48 hours.

Council requests that if you do happen to find a dog and wish for Council to pick it up that you have the dog contained, either by leash or in an enclosed space.

If you see an aggressive dog, do not approach it – contact Council straight away so a trained Animal Controller may seize the dog.

Council can only pick up dogs during business hours. If you find a stray dog outside business hours, you can either keep it overnight or take it to an animal holding facility, such as a vet.

 

Council’s Responsibilities

When stray dogs are seized, Council will do their best to reunite it with its owner.

If the dog is microchipped the owner will be contacted and if the owner is available, the dog will be returned home. If the dog is not microchipped, it will be taken to Council’s animal holding facility at Hawkesbury and held for a period of 7 days. Microchipped dogs are held at the pound for 14 days.

Identification and microchipping are a key components to ensuring a lost dog is returned to its owner because unfortunately, not all dogs know their way home. Under the Companions Animals Act, dogs must be microchipped, registered and wearing a collar with a tag. When you move houses or change your phone number, you must notify Council of the changes.