Dogs
A great number of homes in Vincent have furry family members and amongst pet owners many have chosen to share their homes and their lives with dogs.
Whether large or small, residents have embraced dog ownership (there are over 2,500 dogs registered in Vincent) and the City is committed to ensuring that both dogs and their masters and all other members of our community live in harmony.
The City's Rangers are involved in helping people to be responsible dog owners and are responsible for enforcing the local laws relating to animals.
Important Links
Dog Registrations
Responsible Dog Ownership
Your Dog & The Law
Dog Exercise Areas
Dogs in Public Places
Dangerous Dogs
Dog Barking
Dog Pound
Restricted Dog Breeds
Further Information
Contact Ranger Services on 9273 6000 or mail@vincent.wa.gov.au
After Hours Emergencies: (08) 9273 6061
Your Dog & The Law
Fencing requirements
Persons wishing to register a dog must make a declaration to certify that the fences and gates at the premises where the dog is kept are capable of confining the dog within those premises. Gates must have effective self-closing mechanisms.
Identification & registration tags
The dog's registration tag must be attached to the dog's collar. The name and residential address of the owner must also be legibly endorsed or inscribed on or attached to the collar. Should the dog be lost these tags will enable quick identification and notification to dog's owner.
Microchipping & registration
All dogs over 3 months of age must be both microchipped and registered. Microchipping is a small computer chip inserted under the dog's skin. This can not be removed, the details on the chip are recorded at the Australian Animal Registry. All dogs must be microchipped prior to sale regardless of age. Once microchipped it is still necessary to register your dog with the Council and have the registration tag and identification tag on the dog at all times.
Excreta
Permitting your dog to excrete on a street or public place and failing to remove or adequately dispose of such excreta constitutes an offence under the City's Dogs Local Law 2007.
Maximum number of dogs
The City's Local Law relating to Dogs limits the number of dogs kept on the premises to two (2) dogs over the age of three (3) months and the young of those dogs under that age. A person may apply to the City for an exemption to keep up to six (6) dogs over three (3) months of age or to become an approved kennel establishment subject to the premises' suitability and conditions applicable for the keeping of more than the prescribed numbers.
On the spot infringements
Some offences under the Dog Act may incur on-the-spot infringements:
On the spot infringements 1
OFFENCE
|
FINE FOR DOGS OTHER THAN DANGEROUS DOGS
|
FINE FOR DANGEROUS DOGS
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Unregistered Dog
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$200
|
$400
|
Failure to give notice of new owner
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$200
|
|
Registration tag, certificate offence
|
$200
|
$400 |
Failure to ensure dog microchipped
|
$200 |
$400 |
Failure to notify local government of mircochip details
|
$200
|
$200 |
Keeping more than the prescribed number of dogs
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$200
|
$400
|
Breach of kennel establishment licence
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$200
|
$200
|
Dog in a public place without collar or registration tag
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$200
|
|
Dog not held by a leash in certain public place
|
$200
|
|
Control of dog in exercise areas and rural areas
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$200
|
|
Greyhound not muzzled
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$200
|
|
Dog in a place without consent
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$200
|
$400
|
Dog attack or chase causing physical injury
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$400
|
|
Dog attack or chase causing no physical injury
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$200
|
$400 |
Failure to comply with a nuisance dog order
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$200 |
$400
|
Failure to produce document issued under the Act
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$200 |
$400
|
Failure of alleged offender to give name and address |
$200 |
$400
|
City's Local Law relating to Dogs also provides for:
On the spot infringements 2
OFFENCE
|
FINE FOR DOGS OTHER THAN DANGEROUS DOGS
|
FINE FOR DANGEROUS DOGS
|
Permitting a dog to excrete on land without the consent of the occupier
|
$100
|
$100
|
Failing to provide means for effectively confining a dog
|
$100 |
$200
|
If an Infringement Notice has been issued and payment has not been received by the specified date, the Notice is lodged with Fines Enforcement Registry. Proceedings can then result in the cancellation of your drivers' licence.
More Information
Contact Ranger Services on 9273 6000 or mail@vincent.wa.gov.au
DOGS IN PUBLIC PLACES
In late 2017, the City of Vincent amended its local dog law to allow dogs to enter public spaces. With the exception of indoor areas of cafes, bars and restaurants, dogs are also permitted in private businesses when granted permission by the business owner. Please look out for signage welcoming dogs into shopfronts, or simply ask the business owner if they allow dogs. For safety reasons, dogs are still not permitted at fenced-off children's playgrounds.
Please note, the following rules apply when bringing dogs into a dog-friendly business:
- Dogs must remain under control at all times, either held by a leash or securely tethered
- Dogs must be microchipped and registered, unless they are under three months of age
- Dogs must not distress other dogs or customers
- Business owners have the right to ask dog owners to remove their dog at any given time
- Dog owners are responsible for any and all mess created by their dog
Taking your dog to a shop or business
With the permission of the businesses owner you can take your dog with you to a business. The person in charge of the dog must have complete control over the dog at all times. Should the dog start causing a disruption, the business owner may revoke the permission at any time and you must leave. Your dog must also be registered and micro-chipped.
Dogs are not allowed at Beatty Park Leisure Centre or the City of Vincent Library. Dogs are permitted in the foyer area at the City of Vincent Administration Building as long as they are on a lead.
More Information
City of Vincent Local Laws
Dog Barking
Barking is a dog's natural means of communication and often signifies its alertness to danger or intruders. However, a dog that persistently barks in a manner which is not considered to be normally habitual in dogs constitutes a nuisance.
If a dog barks continually without reason, the cause may be lack of training, insufficient exercise, loneliness, inadequate shelter, ill health or deliberate or unintentional provocation by people or roaming dogs (Fact Sheet > Why does my dog bark?).
The City of Vincent fully appreciates that a barking dog can often severely disrupt people’s lives and can erode their quality of life. Most dog barking issues are solved by simple neighbourly communication but sometimes solving the issue of a barking dog can be a complex issue to deal with.
The laws and processes we need to follow relating to an alleged dog nuisance are prescribed by State legislation. The Dog Act 1976 states:
A person may lodge a complaint in a prescribed form with an authorised person, alleging that a dog is a nuisance. If an authorised person is satisfied that a dog is a nuisance as alleged in a complaint, the authorised person may issue an order to a person liable for the control of the dog requiring that person to prevent the behaviour that is alleged to constitute the nuisance by a time specified in the order.
What can I do about a barking dog?
First, try to communicate with the dog owner
Many dog owners are not aware that their dog is barking and/or that it’s a nuisance to others; some owners often have difficulty believing their dogs bark. Dogs often bark when people are not home so the owner has no idea of the problem. It is not normal for a dog to bark at every noise or passer-by or to bark for long periods of time.
It’s essential that you notify the dog owner of the issue and make several genuine, friendly attempts to solve the issue.
Have a neighbourly chat and allow them some time, at least a couple of weeks, to rectify the problem. Download and leave a "Bark Card" or you could just leave a polite note in the letter box giving the owners some information when the problem occurs.
If that fails, then contact us
If you have contacted the dog owner and the issue has not been resolved, you are welcome to contact our Rangers team to discuss the matter. The Rangers keep records of all barking dogs and there’s a process to follow from here.
You will be requested to assist in collecting the necessary evidence required to issue an order notice by keeping a "Barking Diary". These diaries need to be as accurate as possible for a period of 14 days in the first instance.
You can either lodge an online request (providing as much detail as possible), or just give our Rangers team a call on 9273 6000.
Further action may need to be taken which may ultimately end in a fine or even legal action for the dog owner if they do not comply.
Restricted Dog Breeds
In April 2002 legislation came into operation to deal specifically with Restricted Dog Breeds.
This is a brief summary of details contained in Dog (Restricted Breeds) Regulations 2002. For full details please refer to the legislation itself.
At present these breeds include:
- Dogo Argentino (also known as the Argentine Dogo or Argentinian Mastiff)
- Fila Brasileiro (also known as Brazilian Mastiff or Cao de Fila)
- Japanese tosa (also known as Tosa Inu, Tosa Fighting Dog or Japanese Fighting Dog)
- American pit bull terrier (also known as Pit Bull Terrier or American Pit Bull) and
- Pit bull terrier breeds.
The regulations also provide for a restricted breed dog to include any dog of a mixed breed that visibly contains any of the above prohibited breeds.
In December 2005 the Western Australian Government introduced new laws requiring so called 'fighting dogs' to be sterilised.
Whilst restricted breed dogs such as dogo Argentino, fila Brasileiro, Japanese tosa, Presa Canario and American pit bull are already banned by the Federal Government from importation into Australia, the State law bans the breeding of these dogs - both pure bred and mixed-breed (which visibly contain one of the restricted breed 'traits').
The laws require an owner to prove to an authorised person that their dog meets one of the following requirements:
- the dog has an ear tattoo showing that it has already been sterilised
or within a 24-hour period
- the owner produces a certificate from a veterinary surgeon showing that the dog has been previously sterilised (or is recovering from treatment and would suffer if sterilised at that time, or has a condition which would cause the dog to die) or
- that the dog is under the age of 6 months.
Pictorial representations of the restricted dog breeds follow. It should be noted that these pictures are representations only and that there will be variations.
This material has been obtained, with the permission of the publishers, from The Encyclopedia of the Dog(Bruce Fogle, HarperCollins Publishers, Sydney, 1995, pp 172, 248 and 254) which was kindly loaned by the RSPCA.
Regulation 5
- Restricted Breeds are to wear distinctive, prescribed red and yellow collars
Regulation 6
- They are to be kept in secure places and have prescribed warning signs displayed (Warning Dangerous Dog)
Regulation 7
If a restricted dog is not confined in accordance with regulation 6 it must:
- be muzzled (to prevent it causing injury by biting)
- be held on a leash, by a person capable of controlling it not less than 18 years of age (this includes approved exercise areas)
Regulation 8
- Restrict the number of restricted breed dogs to any one person to 2 (two)
Regulation 9
- The owner of a restricted breed dog is prohibited from selling or transferring ownership to any person under 18 years of age
Regulation 10
- The seller of a restricted breed dog is to notify the buyer in writing that the animal is a restricted breed dog
Regulation 11
- Any person liable for control of a restricted breed dog must notify the local government of any change of address of the restricted breed dog
Regulation 12
- If a restricted breed dog is missing or dies the owner must notify the local government that registered the dog
Regulation 13
- This regulation provides for the seizure and detention of a restricted breed dog where there has been a contravention of regulations 5, 6 or 7.
- It also provides for reasonable attempts to be made to ascertain the owner of the dog and the possible destruction of the dog after 8 days.
Any breach of the Dog (Restricted Breeds) Regulations 2002 may result in a penalty of up to $5000. (Sec 53 Dog Act 1976).
Further Information
Ranger Services
9273 6000 or mail@vincent.wa.gov.au
Dangerous Dogs
The City is concerned that such dogs exist in our community and it is important that the public, and particularly those with young children, be aware and also be very vigilant when in the proximity of such large dogs. The City can declare a dog as a “Dangerous Dog” under the Dog Act 1976. Not all large dogs are declared a Dangerous Dog – only those that attack or persistently chase other people or dogs. It also depends on the severity of the attack.
Once declared a Dangerous Dog, the Dog Act 1976 requires the owner to take more responsibility and appropriate action to ensure that the dog’s capacity to cause further harm is minimised and the risk to the community is significantly reduced. The stringent requirements include:
- The dog must wear a specific reflective collar at all times (red and yellow striped)
- It must be on a leash and muzzled at all times in a public place
- The property where the dog resides must be enclosed so it cannot escape
- There must also be adequate signage at the entrance to the property to warn people that there is a Dangerous Dog on the premises
If these requirements are not met, the City will take further action. If the dog offends again after being declared a Dangerous Dog then all potential fines and penalties automatically double. The City has also recommended that owners of Dangerous Dogs carry out behavioural training for their dog in order to mitigate any undesirable traits which the dog has.
If the City deems a Dangerous Dog as a serious danger, action may be taken to obtain a warrant under the Dog Act 1976 for the seizure and destruction of the dog. In some cases, the City will recommend that the owner surrenders the Dangerous Dog to the Rangers for euthanasia.
Further Information
Ranger Services
9273 6000 or mail@vincent.wa.gov.au
After Hours Emergencies: (08) 6324 0329