All cats and dogs over the age of 3 months must be registered at the address they live.
If your dog or cat is currently registered with another council you can transfer that registration free of charge by attending one of Council's Customer Service Centres. Please bring along proof of your pet’s current registration.
You must also remember to update your contact details with your pet's microchip registry. This is not someting that Council does. Updating your pet's microchip details will help Council reunite you with your lost pet.
There are a number of laws that relate to dogs and and cats that are useful to read including your responsibilities to your pets and neighbours.
Limiting the number of pets on a property helps to ensure that your pets are kept in a healthy environment and that neighbours are not inconvenienced by your pets. City of Whitehorse residents need to obtain a permit to keep more than a particular number of pets ( DOCX 53.3KB) including dogs and cats and other animals on their property.
If you have more animals that you are allowed without a permit, Council may issue you a fine.
In the same way that people sometimes suffer from heat-related illness, heat stress can also affect pets. Pet owners should take measures to ensure their pets are well looked after during hot weather.
Keeping Your Pets Cool
- Make sure your pets have plenty of shady areas to allow them to escape direct sunlight. A kennel in direct sunlight can heat up very quickly and offers little shelter from the heat on a hot day. Put your dog’s kennel in a shady area
- Pets can dehydrate very quickly so give them plenty of fresh clean water when it's a hot day. THink about putting ice blocks in their water bowl, having multiple bowls and putting rocks or similar in bowls to prevent them being knocked over
- Be careful not to over-exercise your pets. Keep them indoors when it’s very hot
- Animals with flat faces such as Pug dogs and Persian cats are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively as other animals. These pets, along with older or overweight pets or pets with heart or lung ailments should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible
- Cool a ceramic tile or oven pan in the fridge/freezer and put out for small dogs and cats to lie on
- Don’t leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle. The temperature inside a car can double in a matter of minutes. Leaving the window down or parking in the shade does little to stop the temperature rising in the car. A dog left in a car can die within as little as six minutes as they are not able to sweat to cool themselves.
Recognising Heat Stress in Pets
Symptoms include:
- Excessive panting
- Increased heart and respiratory rate
- Unsteady on feet, mild weakness, stupor or collapsing
- Seizures, diarrhoea and/or vomiting
- Increased body temperature.
What To Do In Case of Heat Stress
- Get your pet out of the direct sun or hot kennel, car or space as quickly as possible
- Cool the animal down as quickly as possible by hosing them with cool water
- Wrap the animal in a cold wet towel
- Place ice packs on their head and stomach
- Place them in a cool bath or shower
- Place them in front of a cool fan or air conditioner
- Seek veterinary attention as soon as possible (try cooling your pet down first before taking them to the vet in a hot car because their temperature may continue to rise).
For more information visit the Departement of Agriculture website.
Cruelty includes everything from teasing to physical abuse of an animal. Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1986), people found guilty of engaging in an act of cruelty towards an animal can face heavy fines or imprisonment.
If you see a person you believe is being cruel to an animal, please phone the RSPCA on 9224 2222.
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