For after hours urgent public health matters including environmental health, radiation safety, food poisoning and communicable disease management phone:
Both microchipping and registration are compulsory in the ACT. Microchipping establishes pet identity for life. Annual registration establishes current pet ownership. Combined these help reunite lost pets with their families.
Annual dog registration
Dog owners must renew their dog’s registration details annually. This is free of charge.
Keeping dog registration details up to date means Domestic Animal Services can return lost dogs to their owners as quickly as possible and follow up on reports of dangerous dogs or dog attacks. It also provides better information about where dogs live so that education activities can be better targeted.
Cancel your dog's registration if you have moved interstate, your dog has passed away or you no longer own the dog. Select 'cancel' on the pet registration form.
All cats must be registered, and their details must be updated annually. Annual registration ensures we have up to date contact details for pet owners so we can reunite cats with their families quickly if they are lost or somewhere they shouldn’t be.
Annual registration
All cats aged over 8 weeks must be registered for a one-off fee. Registration for cats born before 1 July 2022 is no longer free.
You will receive an annual reminder to confirm the registration details at no cost.
Containment
Cats born before 1 July 2022 do not have to be contained unless they live in one of the 17 currently declared cat containment suburbs. Containment means keeping your cat on your premises 24 hours a day. This can include your house or apartment, an enclosed area in a backyard or courtyard, or a cat crate.
Cat containment has been extended across the ACT for cats born on or after 1 July 2022. Containment means keeping your cat on your premises 24 hours a day. This can include your house or apartment, an enclosed area in a backyard or courtyard, or a cat crate.
