Dogs in Casey

Registration tags

Your dog must wear a registration tag at all times to ensure it can be identified if lost. If your dog is found without a registration tag, you may receive a fine.

It's also a good idea to put your name and phone number on your dog’s collar. This can help us get your dog back to you quickly and easily.

Registration tags are a life-long tag for your dog or cat. If your tag is lost or broken, we will replace it free-of-charge dogs or cats currently registered in the City of Casey.

Order a new/replacement tag

Please contact Council if you cannot order a new or replacement registration tag online. 

You can also register your dog, report a failure to register a dog or make a dog registration renewal enquiry online.

Keep your dogs on your property

Most Casey residents can own up to two dogs without a permit, depending on the property size. Find out whether you need a permit for keeping extra animals from our website.

If your dog is at home, you must make sure it is secure and cannot leave your property. You can do this by fencing your property and maintaining any fences and gates.

If you live on a large property, consider fencing off a section or building a kennel and run. It is the pet owner’s responsibility to ensure that fences and secured areas are maintained to prevent your pets escape.

It can be very dangerous for both your dog and the community if your dog escapes your property.

Under the Casey Community Local Law 2023 and the Domestic Animals Act 1994, you may receive a fine if your dog is found wandering. It may also be sent to the pound.

Agriculture Victoria has more information about how you can best care for your dog.

If you would like to make a complaint about the number of dogs on a property, you can do so online:

Excess Dog Numbers Complaint

Walking your dog

You need to keep your dog on a leash:

• in all public places (including footpaths, schools, shopping centres, car parks, tracks and conservation bushland)
• in any location where a sign says that dogs must be on their leash
• an active reserve where an organised sporting event is happening
• within 20m of children's playgrounds and play equipment
• at any organised public meeting
• at any permanent BBQ or picnic area

Dogs off-leash

With the exception of the 17 dog on lead areas listed below, you can walk your dog without a leash in most parks and reserves in Casey. However, it must be kept under effective control as defined in the Domestic Animals Act 1994.

To walk your dog off-leash you must:

• carry a chain, cord or leash sufficient to restrain your dog
• remain close enough to your dog to give it effective voice or hand controls
• not allow the dog to chase another person or animal

It's your responsibility to make sure your dog behaves, whether it is on a leash or not.  If your dog rushes at, chases, bites or attacks a person or another animal, you may receive a fine or face court action, regardless of if it is in a leash-free park or not.

Dog friendly spaces 

Dog Friendly Spaces are areas that are fenced and located within a larger passive open space which encourage residents and their dogs to socialise and exercise within a controlled environment.

Dog on lead areas

Dogs are strictly not allowed off lead in these areas.

Dog litter

Casey Community Local Law 2023 outlines offences relating to animal litter including:

• Carrying a dog poo bag with you at all times when walking your dog
• Picking up and correctly disposing of any dog litter

Failure to comply with these laws can result in a fine or court action. 

We do not have litter bags in our parks and reserves. You can purchase waste bags from your local supermarket.

Barking dogs

Dogs can be considered a nuisance if they make a lot of noise (Domestic Animals Act 1994 and Casey Community Local Law 2023.

Making a complaint about barking dogs

1. Contact Council to discuss the complaint. You can contact us by phone on 9705 5200 or by email at caseycc@casey.vic.gov.au.
2. We will send you a letter and barking dog log for you to complete, monitoring any excessive barking.
3. Return your barking dog log to us within 28 days. Council will assign an officer to the request to investigate. This log may be used as evidence.

If a barking dog log is not returned to us within 28 days, no further investigation will be conducted. Alternatively, you can contact the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria.

If your dog is barking too much

If you believe your dog is barking too much, or you have received a complaint, there are a few things you can do to help:

• Try and find out why your dog is barking and address the reason. See the Department of Agriculture's website for a list of common reasons why dogs bark and how to fix them.
• Talk to a vet or a professional dog trainer for advice.

Dangerous, menacing and restricted breeds

Dangerous, menacing and restricted breed are treated differently by law. Due to legal requirements under the Domestic Animals Act 1994, they are not registered in the same way as other dogs. ​

The City of Casey considers each application individually to register a dangerous, menacing or restricted breed dog. If you would like to register a dangerous, menacing or restricted breed dog, please contact us. 

More information on dangerous dogs, menacing dogs and restricted breed dogs can be found on Agriculture Victoria's website. 

Reporting a dog attack

A dog attack includes any incident where a dog chases, attacks and/or bites a person or animal. It does not have to cause injury.

Step 1 — contact Council

Council officers are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to investigate dog attack matters. Please contact us as soon as possible if you or your pet is attacked by a dog. You can contact us by phone on 9705 5200.

Step 2 — record the details

Make a record of everything relevant about the dog attack, including:

• time of the attack
• location
• photos of any injuries to you or your pet
• description of the attacking dog and contact details of the owner
• records from your doctor or vet

Step 3 — assessment and response

Council will begin an investigation of the reported dog attack within 24 hours. Investigations can take a long time to resolve and can sometimes be a lengthy process.

Council will gather all the evidence and will make a decision on what action (if any) is appropriate.

Penalties

If we believe an attack did occur, there are a range of penalties that could be applied:

• infringement notices
• animal management agreement
• court action

Agriculture Victoria has some useful information about dog attacks and what you can do.

More information

• Preventing attacks in the community
• Preventing dog attacks in the home