LEGISLATION passed in the ACT Legislative Assembly today (May 13) will require all dog owners to register their dogs annually on a new digital database. 

Rolling out from July 1, the mandatory registration will not cost anything but dog owners who do not register will be at risk of receiving a $150 fine.

However, during the rollout the ACT government will be taking an educative approach before it starts to deliver fines.

“Engagement and education are the first steps to help ensure pet owners understand their obligations,” she said.

“This can be followed by compliance and enforcement where circumstances warrant it. A strict liability offence applies for failure to comply with the reminder notice. The maximum penalty is 10 penalty units or an infringement notice of $150.”

From July 1, dog owners will receive an annual registration reminder notice via email, text or a letter from Domestic Animal Services at least 14 days prior to their dog’s renewal date, City Services Minister Chris Steel said.

A dog’s annual registration renewal date will be based on the date they were first registered in the ACT, so if an owner registered their dog on September 1, then their annual renewal date will be September 1.

Mr Steel said the new system will ensure that the ACT government can contact owners quickly if lost or roaming dogs need to be returned to their families.

It will also allow the government to deliver better education and services to pet owners and manage dangerous dogs to help prevent and respond to dog attacks, he said.

“The new system will address challenges with the current lifetime registration system, where 95 per cent of roaming dogs that are retrieved have out of date registration information such as an incorrect phone number or address,” he said.

“At the moment there are no triggers for owners to update their information when they move, if ownership of the dog has been transferred to someone else, or if the dog has passed away.

Registrations and more information here.