Microchipping and registering your pet

Microchip your pet

In NSW, all cats and dogs, other than exempt cats and dogs, must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age or before being sold or given away, whichever happens first.

Microchipping is a quick and harmless procedure where a small microchip is inserted between your pet's shoulder blades. Modern microchips are about the size of a grain of rice. No personal information is stored on the microchip, only the unique identification number.

If your microchipped pet goes astray and is taken to a vet, pound or shelter, we use the microchip's data to reunite you with your pet.

You can have your pet microchipped at a local vet or animal welfare organisation, or by appointment at our Animal Welfare Shelter on Merinda Road, Quirindi. Contact us to make an appointment with our Ranger to have your pet microchipped.

Register your pet

All cats and dogs, other than exempt cats and dogs, must be registered on the NSW Pet Registry by six months of age. The registration fee is a once-only payment, which covers the cat or dog for its lifetime in NSW, regardless of any changes in ownership. You are encouraged to have your cat or dog desexed before registering it.

Discounted registration fees apply to desexed cats or dogs. Having your cat or dog desexed helps to reduce straying, fighting and aggression and antisocial behaviour, such as spraying to mark territory. It also helps to reduce the number of unwanted pets born each year.

Annual permits are now required for owners of non-desexed cats, restricted dog breeds, and dogs declared to be dangerous. Owners of dogs of a restricted breed or formally declared to be dangerous will be required to pay a $195 annual permit in addition to their one-off lifetime pet registration fee.

When using the NSW Pet Registry, you will need to create an owner profile, claim any existing pets and update your address and contact details. You can pay most lifetime registrations online, however, assistance or working dogs need to be registered in person at Council’s Customer Service Centre at 60 Station Street, Quirindi.

Pet registration fees

Pet registration fees are set by the NSW Government and reviewed annually. 

Please refer to the Office of Local Government website for current registration fees.

Restricted dog breeds

In NSW, a restricted dog is one of the following:

  • American pitbull terrier or Pitbull terrier
  • Japanese tosa
  • Dogo Argentino (Argentinean fighting dog)
  • Fila Brasiliero (Brazilian fighting dog)
  • any other dog of a breed, kind or description, whose importation into Australia is prohibited by, or under, the Customs Act 1901 (Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario)
  • any dog declared by an authorised officer of a council, under division 6 of the Companion Animals Act 1998, to be a restricted dog.

If you own a restricted dog and it attacks or injures a person or an animal (other than vermin) without being provoked, you must report it to Council within 24 hours of the attack or injury.