To register your dog or renew your registration please click here

All dogs should be registered with the Council to ensure that effective dog control can be carried out. Without dog registrations the Council is unable to provide an effective service. Imagine for a moment what it what it would be like without dog control. People could not walk in the park or in the streets without fear of harassment from dogs. Attacks would increase as would the frustration of people who choose not to own a dog.

Your cooperation in registering your dog is the first step towards responsible dog ownership. Registration helps us trace owners of lost dogs.

All dogs must be registered when they reach three months of age and then re-registered on 1 July each year.

PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU PURCHASE OR OBTAIN A DOG THREE MONTHS OR OLDER, YOU HAVE JUST 14 DAYS IN WHICH TO REGISTER THE DOG.

It doesn't matter at what time of year your first registration is done. Re-registering is required on July 1 of each year. If the dog is not registered in either of these cases then penalties apply.

To ensure your dog is registered please read and remember the following information before completing the Dog Registration Form.

Council needs to sight: 1 x Photo ID such as a drivers licence, proof of age, passport etc. (Please see details on the dog registration form) or 2 x Documents such as a government utility bill, pension card etc.

For registration discounts to apply, proof of documentation is required for sighting such as:

- desexing and micro-chipping, as outlined within the dog registration form

- current concession card with your correct details on it.

Please remember if the form is not entirely completed and the required documents are not provided, Council is unable to process your dog registration and your dog remains unregistered and you risk being fined.

It is also your responsibility to ensure that your registration details are up to date. If you are unsure or have any changes in your circumstances, contact council or log into Dogs and Cats Online.

In South Australia, it is a requirement that all dogs be microchipped, desexed, and registered in the Dogs and Cats Online (DACO) statewide database. DACO serves as the central hub for dog, cat, microchip, desexing, and breeder registrations, with some exceptions to this rule.

To register your dog in DACO, utilise its mandatory microchip number.  Obtain your dog's microchip number from your veterinarian, microchip implanter, shelter, or breeder.

Microchipping
From 1 July 2018, owners must microchip their dogs and cats by 12 weeks of age or at the point of sale. Veterinarians may exempt an animal for medical reasons. Owners are encouraged to take advantage of the numerous discount microchipping days throughout the state. Visit chipblitz.com for upcoming dates, locations and to make a booking. Alternatively, contact your local vet.

Desexing
Dogs and cats born after the 1 July 2018 must be desexed by 6 months of age or 28 days after purchase by the owner. Working livestock dogs as well as dogs and cats owned by registered breeders will be exempt from the requirement to desex, however will still need to be micro-chipped.

For more information on this visit the Dog and Cat Board Website.

Residents are encouraged in the first instance to try and solve the problem with the owner of the dog(s).

Residents can utilise the template below to provide feedback to the owner.

If you find that you are not able to resolve the matter yourself and need council assistance, you will be required to complete a 7-day Dog Noise Complaint form.  The Dog Noise Complaint form can be downloaded here   or collected from the Customer Service Department at the Council Offices. Once a completed diary is returned to council a Community Safety Officer will assess it to determine if the complaint is justified and sufficient evidence is obtained. If further evidence is required, a door knock of the immediate area will commence to ascertain if further proceedings are justified.

If the complaint of the nuisance dog(s) is found to be justified, then council will make an effort to work with the owner to resolve the matter. However, Council may proceed to do the following directions under the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995:

1. Issue an Expiation notice
2. Issue a Notice of Intention to issue an Order
3. Issue a Dog Control Order

Resources:

Barking Dog Diary

Information Sheet - Dog Noise Complaints

Barking Dog - Anonymous Letter Template

If you are the victim of, or witness, a dog attack it is important that you report it as soon as you are safe enough to by calling the Town of Gawler on (08) 8522 9211.

What information should you provide?

When reporting a dog attack, please make an effort to gather as much information as possible, such as:

• Date, time and location of attack
• Description of dog (size, breed, colour, sex, markings, name)
• Description of the owner (name, address, contact number, age, clothing, gender, etc)
• Description of injuries
• Photographs of anything relevant (injuries, dog involved, vehicle relevant)
• Evidence (medical bills, medical certificates)

The more information and detail you can provide the more likely Community Safety Inspectors will be able to investigate and act appropriately.

What happens once you report it?

Once a dog attack has been reported a Community Safety Officer will be notified and commence an investigation. Officers will take statements, collect evidence and make a decision for action based on what is obtained. When the investigation has concluded all parties will be notified of the outcome.

What will happen to the dog/and or owner?

The outcome of the investigation depends on the severity of the attack. The Community Safety Officer may:

• Issue a warning to the owner of the dog
• Issue a fine
• Enforce a Dog Control Order (Nuisance, Dangerous Dog, Menacing Dog, or Destruction Order)

If you have any further questions or concerns please contact Council for further information.

As per the Town of Gawler’s By-Law No. 5 , there is a limit on the number of dogs that can be kept on a property, without permission of Council.

The following outlines the number of dogs allowed on a premises:

• One dog may be kept on a small premises**,
• Two dogs may be kept within the township on premises (other than a small premises),
• Three dogs may be kept on premises outside a township (other than small premises).

**Small premises means a self-contained residence that is:

A residential flat building, contained in a separate strata unit, on an allotment less than 600 square metres in area, or without a secure yard of at least 100 square metres in area.

An application can be submitted to keep more than prescribed number of dogs using the below document. Once the document has been submitted to council and the application fee has been paid, you will be contact by a Community Safety Officer.

Application to keep more than the prescribed number of dogs

For more information contact the Gawler Administration Centre on (08) 8522 9211

Lost        

If you have lost your loved one, contact us on (08) 8522 9211 or email council@gawler.sa.gov.au to report your missing pet. Please ensure you provide as much information as possible.

We also recommend contacting the Animal Welfare League, RSPCA and local veterinary clinics.

If your pet is registered on Dogs and Cats Online, ensure that your details are up to date.

Found

If you find a dog, we recommend you secure the dog (when safe to do so) and call Council to report it to one of our Community Safety Officers. When notifying Council provide as much detail as possible including colour, suspected breed, behaviours it may be displaying and if it is wearing a collar or tag. Once notified, council will collect the dog as soon as possible.

If you are concerned that the dog may be aggressive or dangerous, do not approach the dog and contact council IMMEDIATELY on (08) 8522 9211.

People who breed dogs and cats for sale after 1 July 2018 must register with the Dog and Cat Management Board as a breeder, this can be done online on Dogs and Cats Online . This is inclusive of people who breed ‘accidental’ litters.

When selling puppies, it is mandatory to include the following information in the advertisements:

1. Seller name and phone number
2. Name and phone number for all individuals involved in breeding
3. DACO Breeder registration numbers of all individuals involved in breeding.

It is also required that breeders meet the industry standards and guidelines.

For more information refer to the Dog and Cat Management Board’s website and information around the 6 basic rules for breeding and selling dogs, here .

On and Off Leash Area’s

Clonlea Reserve Dog Park

Clonlea Reserve Dog Park is a great location for your dogs to exercise off leads and socialise with other dogs of Gawler!

Conditions of Use:

• Ensure your dog is under effective control at all times
• Pick up any dog faeces and place in bins provided
• This park is available for community use at all times
• Keep the airlock gates closed at all times

Remember, it is your responsibility to be vigilant and ensure you keep a close eye on your dog!

• Dog Control
• RSPCA Knowledgebase
• Parvovirus

As of July 1 2018, all cats are required by law to be registered on Dogs and Cats Online (DACO). There is no charge for registering your cat if it lives within the Town of Gawler. Registration needs to be renewed each year on 1 July.

As of July 1 2018, all cats are required by law to be microchipped:

• before it reaches 12 weeks of age; or
• within 28 days after the owner takes possession of the dog or cat

It is also a requirement that cats are desexed -

• before it reaches 6 months of age; or
• within 28 days after the owner takes possession of the dog or cat

We advise that you contact your local vet for further information on microchipping and desexing.

Identification

Cats can be identified as owned by collar and/or microchip. If your cat is unidentified and spends time outside, it is strongly recommended that you identify your cat with a collar, as well as the mandatory microchip.

Cats without identification can be trapped either by the public or by Council.

Confinement/Wandering

You are not bound by law to confine your cat at this stage.

However, Council strongly recommends for the benefit of your cat, your neighbours and local wildlife that you keep your cat indoors at night.

Resources

Here is a great resource from the Dog and Cat Management Board for tips on how to keep your cat happy at home.

https://cdn.dogandcatboard.com.au/dcmb/docs/Cats/GoodCatsPlayAtHome2020-B.pdf

Whilst confinement is not currently a legal requirement as a part of cat ownership, owners have a responsibility to ensure their cat does not become a nuisance to their neighbours. Council may take action against a cat owner in relation to their cat becoming a nuisance under the Dog and Cat Management Act. If your neighbour’s cat is becoming a regular nuisance, please contact Council to find out how Council may be of assistance to you. An unidentified cat may be trapped or caught and destroyed by an authorised organisation.

How to Deter

Many people claim cats can be repelled by scattering cayenne pepper, paprika, naphthalene flakes, or camphor around the garden although the results of doing so have not been proven. Citronella, eucalyptus oil or Dettol mixed with biodegradable cat litter and scattered around the garden is useful or try dribbling some of these solutions onto a tea bag or two or even some cotton balls and leaving them scattered around your garden. Commercial repellents such as Get Off My Garden and Skunk Shot are helpful. Your local pet shop, garden shop or hardware store may stock these commercial repellents.

Trapping Process    

You can trap or catch an unidentified cat, but you cannot enter another person’s property to trap a cat without permission.

If a cat is trapped and has a collar or is tattooed with an “M” in its ear You must release the cat immediately. There is a penalty for removing or interfering with the identification.

Booking

Council has traps available to residents for a maximum hiring period of two weeks, with a deposit and daily hire fee (please refer to the fee schedule) The deposit will be refunded in full if the trap is returned undamaged.

You may book a cat cage by telephoning Customer Services on 08 8522 9211. There is usually a waiting list for the cages, and your Customer Service Officer will advise the expected waiting time.

Lost

If you have lost your loved one, contact us on (08) 8522 9211 or email council@gawler.sa.gov.au to report your missing pet.

We also recommend contacting the Animal Welfare League, RSPCA and local veterinary clinics.

If your pet is registered on Dogs and Cats Online, ensure that your details are up to date.

Found

If the cat can be identified, we advise you contact the owner. Community Safety Officers do not provide a collection service for cats, so we advise you take any unidentified cats to the Animal Welfare League or a local vet to be scanned.