Dogs in Calliope
Barking Dogs
Standard Requirements
Desexing
Identification Requirements
Number of Dogs
Dangerous Dogs
Handy Hints
Dog Free Zones
Off Leash Areas
Onleash Areas
The former Calliope Shire Council believed that the education of dog owners about their responsibilities is preferable to prosecutions and fines. To that end, Council endorses all viable efforts to make dog owners aware of the Local Laws regarding their dog and the reason behind them. The implementation of the Local Law covers many aspects of animal control including:- nuisance dogs, dog free zones and disposal of faeces. Together with wandering dogs; barking dogs are also becoming an increasing problem. Dogs should be taught social behavious at the earliest opportunity so that they do not interfere with the quality of life of your neighbours and the wider community.
In order to maintain quality public facilities, Council has set aside designated dog-free zones. Recreation areas for the on & off leash exercise of your pet have also been incorporated. However for the safety and protection of all, dogs must be kept under effective control at all times. The safe and responsible disposal of faeces from a public area is also important as it reduces the risk of health issues to the broader community (ie. hookworm). Council is hopeful that by making dog owners aware of their responsiblities, the community in general will enjoy a better environment.
Dogs are not required to be registered in the former Calliope Shire. However, the Local Law does require all dogs to have identification when taken into a public place.
Generally this means the dog must be wearing an ID tag or some other form of identification, which has the owners name and contact details on it. Some dog owners have ID chips inserted under the animal’s skin which is read by a micro-chip reader. This is an acceptable form of identification, however, it does mean that members of the public will be unable to identify the dog owner unless they take the animal to the vet for a micro-chip scan. Accordingly, Council recommends that in addition to other forms of ID (ie. Micro-chipping), that your dog wear an ID tag at all times. This ensures that you can be contacted should your dog escape from your premises.
Australia has one of the highest rates of companion animal ownership in the world. The failure of many to desex their pets continues to be the reason for massive pet overpopulation. As a result, hundreds of thousands of healthy cats and dogs are euthanized each year in pounds and shelters nationwide, simply because there are not enough homes available for them.
This has seen the creation of National Desexing Network (NDN), a nationwide referral service for discounted desexing made available to those in financial need who would otherwise not be able to desex their pet.
NDN is a charitable program of the Animal Welfare League of Queensland Inc (AWL) - an organisation founded in 1959. NDN is funded through a legacy left by a cat lover who wanted to see an end to companion animal overpopulation and the resultant euthanasia of healthy pets. It is managed by volunteers and one part-time employee, to keep administration cost to a minimum. The only beneficiaries of the program are Australia's cats and dogs.
A dog is deemed dangerous if it attacks or aggressively threatens another person or animal. If your dog is deemed aggressive for the purposes of the Local Law, Council may order you to take specified action such as requiring you to:
Erect warning notices at your premises; and
Have the dog on a lead and muzzled at all times whilst in a public place.
The following are the minimum standards to be complied with by a person who keeps an animal under the provisions of the local law –
the keeper must ensure that waste waters from enclosures are drained in a nuisance free manner or as directed by an authorised person; and
the keeper must ensure that excreta, food scraps and other material that is, or is likely to become, offensive is collected at least once each day and, if not immediately disposed of, is kept in a fly proof container of a kind approved by the local government; and
the keeper must ensure that any enclosure in which the animal is kept is in a clean and sanitary condition; and
the keeper must ensure that any enclosure in which the animal is kept is properly maintained and in an aesthetically acceptable condition; and
the keeper must take all reasonable steps to prevent the animal from making a noise or disturbance that causes a nuisance or disturbance to the occupiers of other land or premises; and
the keeper must comply with reasonable directions given by an authorised person to ensure that the keeping of the animal does not result in nuisance to occupiers of other land or premises; and
the keeper must ensure that any enclosure built for the purpose of housing an animal, is constructed so as to prevent the animal from going within 10 metres of any dwelling other than a dwelling upon the allotment on which the enclosure is constructed.
The local law links the number of dogs that can be kept on your property to the size of the allotment:
Over 50 hectares |
Unlimited dogs |
Over 4 hectares, but less than 50 hectares |
5 dogs |
Over 400m² but less than 4 hectares |
2 dogs |
Under 400m² |
1 dog |
If you are a dog owner with an allotment of less than 50 hectares, you are required to provide a proper enclosure sufficient to keep your dog on your property at all times. It is an offence under Council's Local Law to keep a dog on premises (under 50 hectares) without a proper enclosure. A fine does apply.
