Complaints About Animals

If you are affected by the noise from your neighbour’s dog or are the owner of a barking dog, go to our Barking Dog page.

If you have been involved in a dog attack or been threatened by a dog contact Ranger Services with:

• Date, time and location of the attack
• A description of the dog including colour, breed and size
• The details of the dog's owner - if known
• Statements from the victim/s and/or witnesses
• Download and fill out our Dog Attack Report and send the completed report to Council
• For more information view:
  • Dog Attack Reporting - NSW Office of Local Government

After-hours dog attacks 

Contact the Police. Police have the same powers to act as Council Rangers.

If you find a stray, roaming or nuisance dog you can contact Ranger Services with:

• Location of the dog
• Full description of the dog including colour, breed and size
• Identity and address of the owner of the dog if you know 

If there is no identification the animal will be taken to the Shoalhaven Animal Shelter.

OR

Take the animal to the Shoalhaven Animal Shelter.

It is an offence to keep an animal that does not belong to you (Companion Animals Act 1998)

We encourage cat owners to keep their cat indoors or in an enclosure outside to keep them safe and to protect wildlife. 

Stray & Roaming 

There is no definition for a stray cat and no restrictions on cats roaming other than in prohibited wildlife areas and food preparation or food consumption areas. 

If you would like more information, see Companion Animals Act 1998. 

Nuisance 

If you believe a cat is making excessive noise or damaging your property, and you know where the cat lives, you can report it to Council.

'Roaming cats in your neighbourhood' flyers are also available to encourage responsible cat ownership. If you would like to do a letterbox drop in your neighbourhood, contact Council to arrange postage of flyers to you directly.

Alternatively, you can hire a cat trap from the Shoalhaven Animal Shelter. Once the cat is trapped you can take the cat to the shelter or contact Ranger Services who will pick up the cat.

If the cat is microchipped, the owner can be contacted and education can be provided to the owner about the impacts of roaming cats.

Feral 

If you have a feral cat problem, you can hire a cat trap from the Shoalhaven Animal Shelter. Once the cat is trapped you can take the cat to the shelter or contact Ranger Services who will pick up the cat. 

Attacking 

Refer to Section 32 of the Companion Animals Act 1998. 

Nothing in Section 32 authorises any variation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1998. 

Identification 

A cat must wear a collar and tag with the cat owner's address and telephone number.

Chickens, birds, turkeys, ducks, and geese can be kept on private property, housed and kept properly to comply with regulations. Roosters should not be kept in residential areas.

If you are concerned about the way chickens or birds are being kept report it to Council.

For more details see our Keeping Animals page.

Residential Areas

• Horses, cattle, roosters and pigs should not be kept in residential areas. If you have a concern about the keeping of these animals at a residential address report it to Council.
• If your neighbour's livestock enters your property it is a civil matter between you and your neighbour
  • Refer to Sections 12, 13 and 14 of the Impounding Act for more information

Public Land 

• If you see horses, cows, sheep, pigs or goats roaming on public land contact Ranger Services as soon as possible