Registration Fees 2024-2025
To download the applicable Animal Registration form, see below:
Registration categories:-
1. Dog or Cat Reduced Rate: $52.40 (Pension concession: $26.20)
- Any animal which is desexed (proof required)
- Owner is a member and animal is registered with any of the following approved organisations: Dogs Victoria, Master Dog Breeders and Associates (MDBA), Responsible Pet Breeders Australia (RPBA), Australian National Cats Inc., Feline Control Council Victoria Inc., The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy Australia & Victoria.
- * Approved obedience training organisations (proof required). Australian Association of Professional Dog Trainers Inc, The Kintala Dog Club Association Inc, Four Paws K9 Training, Delta Institute, and Dogs Victoria (training before 12 October 2023). Refer to list at animal-welfare-victoria/dogs/dog-training-and-behavioural-problems/obedience-training-organisations
- Farm working dogs (defined as per Domestic Animals Act 1994, a Dog kept usually on rural land by a primary producer and primarily kept or trained for the purpose of droving, protecting, tending or working livestock on a farm.) This Working Dog application form and attached statutory declaration must be completed and submitted with supporting documentation as outlined in the application. To download the applicable form, see below:
- Any animal over the age of 10 years.
2. Standard Cat Registration: $149.00 (Pension concession: $74.50)
- Any cat not described under category 1
3. Standard Dog Registration: $168.50 (Pension concession: $84.25)
- Any dog not described under category 1
4. Cat Registration with approved cat enclosure: $25.70 (Pension concession allowed)
5. Declared Guard Dog: $200.40 (no concession)
- A dog kept for the purpose of guarding non-residential premises
6. Declared Menacing Dog: $230.20 (no concession)
- A dog which is declared menacing following an incident of chasing or rushing at a person or animal
7. Declared Dangerous or Restricted Breed Dog: $345.20 (no concession)
- Council has declared the dog dangerous because it has caused the death of or serious injury to a person or animal by biting or attacking
- The dog is of a restricted breed.
- To download the applicable form, see below:
8. Guide Dogs and Approved Assistance Dogs: Free
9. Transfer your pet registration from another Council (only within Victoria) with proof of payment: $10.00
Failure to register or renew the registration of a dog or cat over the age of 3 months is an offence with a current fine of $395 (2024/25 financial year).
Payment must be received at time of registration. Should you request a call for payment on your registration form, the payment must be made when you are contacted. Failure to pay for the registration will result in the animal not being registered and potential penalty infringements being issued for failure to register a dog or cat under the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
Payment by BPAY, Australia Post Billpay or pay via our website
Please be advised that your Cat’s registration renewal has a NEW BPAY reference number this year. We kindly ask you to check and ensure you use the correct reference number when paying your cat’s registration. If you use the incorrect reference number your cat’s registration will remain unpaid.
Please ensure to use the payment information on your notice, pay for each animal separately and double check the reference number. If you use the incorrect reference number or pay more than one animal in the one single payment, your animal’s registration will lapse.
Frequently Asked Questions
The full annual registration fee is $149 per cat and $168 per dog, but most people will pay the discounted registration of $52, available to pets that are microchipped and desexed.
If your pet has died or does not live at your property for any reason, please complete and return the Statement of Change slip on the back of your renewal notice; or call Council and the registration will be updated. This simple action will save you and Council the time and effort of sorting out an old registration down the track.
First, it’s the Victorian Government law for all dogs and cats over three months of age in Victoria to be registered with their local Council and wear registration tags. The Victorian Government sets a fine for failure to register or renew the registration of a dog or cat over the age of three months. This is currently $395.00.
Second, when registered pets are lost or stray from home, it’s easy for Council to safely and quickly reunite the pet and their family.
Finally, pet registration fees cover part of the cost of Council’s animal management services including rescuing stray animals, providing shelter care, and investigating situations of aggressive animals or owner neglect. The remainder of the service cost is recovered through user pays fines to the pet owners. For example, the cost of impounding a cat or dog is $450 plus officer time and vehicles costs.
If you have a dog or cat that is unregistered, call 5220 7111 and we will help you complete the registration. Remember to have paperwork on-hand to show your pet is microchipped and desexed to qualify for the discounted fee.
Golden Plains Shire has a limit of two dogs and two cats per property. There are also limits on other animals, such as chickens and horses; particularly in residential parts of towns. Council’s Community Safety Officers will be actively auditing properties to ensure compliance. If you wish to keep more animals than listed in Council’s Local Law No. 1 General Public Amenity, you will need permission from Council.
A lot of pet owners think microchipping and registration with Council is the same, but it is not. Both are crucial to help reunite your pet with you, but are not linked. Your pet’s microchip information is stored by the relevant registry that provided the microchip, for example Central Animal Records. While Council officers will contact Central Animal Records to attempt to determine ownership, many owners unfortunately forget to keep microchip details up to date.
When you register with Golden Plains Shire Council you provide your pet’s microchip number to us. If your pet gets out, our Community Safety Officers can scan for the microchip and quickly find out who the owner is as it will be stored in Council records. Unfortunately, if we can’t find you, your pet will need to be taken to an animal shelter and fees apply to collect your pet. When your pet is registered, your pet gets a free ride home.
Pet registration fees allow the Community Safety Officers at Council to provide a broad range of other important animal related services. This includes investigating dog attacks, deal with nuisance problems like barking dogs and unowned animals, as well as investigate welfare reports.
Council’s Community Safety Officers are further responsible for monitoring animal welfare standards at boarding kennels, breeding and training businesses. The team audits against the applicable Code of Practice, to ensure that the facilities are suitable, animal attendants have appropriate training and that the practices used by the business to look after the animals are compliant with the applicable Code of Practice. Any reports by the public with concerns about the practices of such a business are also investigated by this team.
For answers to your questions or to register your pet, call our Customer Experience team at 5220 7111.
Pet adoption
Occasionally pets that find their way to the pound are not collected by their owner. After eight days in the pound, these pets become available for adoption provided they are healthy and not aggressive. The Ballarat Animal Shelter and the Geelong Animal Welfare Society are always trying to find a new home for these pets.
Visit the Ballarat Animal Shelter and Geelong Animal Welfare Society (GAWS) pet adoption web pages where you may be able to find your new best friend!
Animal Numbers
While it's great to have pets, too many animals can cause amenity problems in your neighbourhood. Golden Plains Shire has a limit of two dogs and two cats per property. There are limits on other animals such as chickens and horses; particularly in residential parts of towns, and you should contact Council to ensure that you don't have more animals than you are allowed.
You will need permission from Council if you wish to keep more than allowed number of animals, unless they are dogs in a rural area used exclusively for droving or drafting livestock. Application forms for obtaining a permit to keep more than two dogs or two cats can be obtained from either of Council's customer service centres or by clicking the link below.
Please speak to our Community Safety Team if you intend to breed your dogs as this form may not be applicable to you.
Application for Keeping more than 2 dogs or 2 cats
Amend permit for Keeping more than 2 dogs or 2 cats
Animal Registration Refund (available 11 April-30 June only)
Council may grant a refund on animal registrations if the animal has passed away and the registration has just been paid. An application for refund is only available when your pet has passed away and the application is received by Council before 30 June of the current registration year.
No allowances for transferred out or surrendered animals will be considered.
Other Pets
While cats and dogs are popular choices, it is important to choose a pet that is suited to your lifestyle.
There are a number of other popular pets people may choose to keep, which have no registration requirements with the Council. Other popular pets include rabbits, birds, fish, horses, ferrets and reptiles.
However, it is important to remember that whatever the pet, you are responsible for the care and welfare of the animal. For more information on various pets and their needs, visit Agriculture Victoria’s Other Pets page.