The ACT Government has proposed legislation to strengthen responsible dog ownership by requiring all dog owners to update their details annually, at no additional cost. It is expected this new requirement will come into effect on 1 July 2021 once the new rules have been passed through the ACT Legislative Assembly.

Annual dog registration is part of the implementation of a new digital dog database providing up to date information on where dogs live and who owns them.

The current lifetime dog registration model means very little is known about how many dogs there are in the ACT, where they are kept and who owns them.

The new digital database will allow Domestic Animal Services to return lost dogs to their owners as quickly as possible and to 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.

Under the proposed legislation, Domestic Animal Services will issue annual registration reminder notices in the form of an email, text or letter to people at least 14 days prior to their dog’s renewal date. This date will be the anniversary of when they registered their dog. For instance, if the dog was registered on 1 September 2015, then the renewal date will be 1 September each year.

TCCS will provide  an update on the proposed changes to dog registration in the ACT once the new legislation has been passed through the ACT Legislative Assembly. This is expected to happen in May 2021.

For more information on the proposed new dog registration system, please visit www.cityservices.act.gov.au/dogrego.