Council calls for responsible pet ownership
Lockyer Valley Regional Council is putting a spotlight on the importance of responsible pet ownership.
Council’s Local Laws Portfolio Councillor, Cheryl Steinhardt said while registration was a legal requirement, it also served as a vital step in keeping your dog, your family and the wider community safe.
“In Queensland, it is a requirement for all dogs to be registered annually under Queensland Government laws.
“Registering your dog really does provide several benefits for owners.
“Ensuring your dog is registered and microchipped makes it easier for Council officers to reunite lost pets with their owner, which works to overall reduce the number of animals that end up at the pound.
“Council uses the registration fee towards the cost of Council’s animal management operations including fenced off-leash areas, dog attack investigations, compliance inspections and the running of animal pounds.
“The money collected from dog registrations is only a fraction of what it costs for Council to reunite lost dogs with their owners, resolve barking issues, undertake patrols, identify dogs involved in attacks, and funds education campaigns.
“It’s also important for residents to know they must inform Council of any changes to their dog registration notice, including a change of address, or if their dog is regulated as a dangerous dog – it is an offence not to comply,” Cr Steinhardt said.
Council has registered 49 dog attacks in the 2024/25 financial year (up to 11 October 2024), while 171 attacks were registered in the 2023/24 financial year and 153 in the 2022/23 financial year.
In addition, Council has received 260 pet-related complaints in the 2024 financial year (to 11 October 2024). Council registered 1596 complaints in the 2023/24 financial year and 1559 complaints in the 2022/23 financial year.
“Some of the top complaints have included wandering animals, dog attacks, nuisance (noise/odour), requests for impounding of found animals and the housing of an excess numbers of animals.
“We have also noticed a drop in dog registrations compared to previous years, with 5738 currently registered, compared to 7191 in 2023/24 and 8500 in 2022/23.
“One of the biggest worries dog owners face is being unable to locate their pet if it goes astray. We see many lost dogs on our community pages which can be heartbreaking for owners, and we want to ensure they are reunited safely.
“Our Local Laws team works incredibly hard to ensure our community stays safe and together, we can all achieve that outcome,” Cr Steinhardt said.