New pet registration

Pet registration requirements

Victorian legislation requires all dogs and cats over 3 months of age to be registered with their local Council. You may be fined if your dog or cat is over 3 months old and is not registered.

Dogs and cats must be microchipped before they can be registered for the first time.

Cats must also be desexed before they can be registered in Merri-bek. Cat owners received the first year of pet registration free.

If you have more than 2 dogs or 2 cats in a house, or more than 1 dog or 1 cat in a unit, you need to apply for a multiple pet permit from Council before you can register your new pet.

You can transfer your dog or cat's registration from another owner who has registered the pet with Merri-bek Council. All other transfers are regarded as a new pet registration.

If you are taking part in a fostering program for dogs or cats, pet registration requirements are the same as long-term adoption or purchase of a new pet.

Pet registration must be renewed every year by 10 April. You will receive a renewal notice from Council.

You do not need to register with Council:

• Other animals, such as birds, fish or rabbits.
• Greyhounds that are registered with Greyhound Racing Victoria (except those which are part of the greyhound adoption program).

How to register your dog or cat

Online

Register your dog or cat through the Online Services website.

As part of the online registration process you:

• upload digital copies of relevant supporting documents, such as the microchipping certificate, and
• the registration fee is paid online by Visa or MasterCard.

Register your dog or cat

By post or in person

Download and print the Animal Registration form (PDF 474Kb).

Lodge your completed application form at a Council Customer Service Centre or post to Merri-bek City Council, Locked Bag 10, Merri-bek 3058. Include a copy of your microchipping certificate, any other documentation and the registration fee.

Why you need to register your dog or cat

When you register your dog or cat, Council keeps a record of your pet's name and your contact details. You can change your pet registration details at any time.

When your pet is wearing its registration tag it can be easily identified by Council's animal management officers and returned to you if it is lost or injured.

We also recommend that your dog or cat has a separate ID tag on its collar with its name and your phone number and address.

Registration also helps Council to collect valuable information about local animal populations so that we can plan for and fund programs and activities.

Your registration fee gives you more than just a lost and found service for your pet. It also funds:

• facilities such as dog parks, dog poo bins and pounds/shelters
• animal management staff to attend to nuisance complaints, investigate dog attacks, patrol parks and streets, and collect and return stray animals to owners
• events such as pet expos and discount microchipping days
• information such as responsible pet ownership publications, websites, and online courses
• domestic animal business audits (e.g. to check animal welfare standards in pet shops, breeding facilities, boarding kennels etc.)
• management of dangerous and restricted breed dogs
• dog bite prevention education programs for kindergarten and primary school children
• emergency animal welfare preparedness 
• research into a range of dog and cat welfare issues
• free desexing programs
• emergency welfare boarding for pets of victims of domestic violence

Pet registration tag

When you register your dog or cat, you receive a tag with a unique number that must be fastened to your pet's collar.

If you lose your pet's tag you can contact Council and we will issue a replacement tag for a fee. Please refer to the table below.

Registration fees and evidence required

The registration period is from 11 March to 10 April. For the current pro-rata fees, visit register your dog or cat online.

To claim the pensioner discount, you must provide evidence that you hold a current valid Pensioner Concession Card. Health Care Card holders are not eligible for the pensioner discount.

Dog registration fees for 2020-21 (inclusive of Government levy*)

Cat registration fees for 2020-21 (inclusive of Government levy*)

To help reduce the problem of stray cats and cat over-population, Council has introduced compulsory desexing for new cat registration. To encourage people to desex and register cats, Council has also introduced a first year of registration free.

*A government levy of $4.10 per dog and $4.10 per cat is included in the above fees. No concession applies to the government levy.

Council does not refund registration fees for pets that move from the Merri-bek area or are deceased.

Further information

• Domestic Animals Act 1994
• Domestic Animals Regulations 2015