Pet ownership is one of the greatest delights for many residents across the Bundaberg Region.
Along with this ownership comes a responsibility to care and protect your pet. Council is charged with a regulatory responsibility to ensure pet owners abide by State imposed regulations as well as Council's local laws. In 2008, the Queensland Government introduced the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008.
The aim of this new Act is to establish a consistent approach to animal management in Queensland though mandatory identification and registration of cats and dogs. The Act promotes the responsible ownership of cats and dogs and provides the effective management of "regulated" dogs. Our staff take great pride in their commitment to the region's pet owners and their pets and the need to balance that care with their responsibilities to the wider community.
Council's animal management team provide an essential service to the community. Staff help to keep the community and animals safe by responding to, and investigating, all animal related requests. During an operational year Council's animal management team receive nearly 10,000 requests, more than 180 requests per week. These requests include:
- wandering dogs (about 20 per week)
- impounded animals (about 30 per week)
- animal nuisance complaints (about 30 per week)
- barking dog complaints (about 10 per week)
- stock wandering/lost/found (about 10 per week)
- incidental animal enquiries (about 90 per week)
Responsible dog ownership
Bundaberg Regional Council’s aim is to have a dog friendly region, dog owners are reminded to keep their dogs on a leash at all times while in public places unless it is a designated off leash area, this prevents your dog from destroying native wildlife or endangering themselves, other people and other dogs.
Owners are reminded to pick up after their dog, this is not only common courtesy to others but your duty as a responsible pet owner. Cleaning up after your pet helps prevent the spread of unwanted diseases. Council officers continually patrol the region and can issue on the spot fines so be a responsible pet owner and be considerate of others as well as visitors to our beautiful region.
You can be a responsible pet owner by doing the following
- registering and de-sexing your cat and/or dog at an early age
- ensuring your cat or dog is kept contained to your property at all times
- identifying your cat or dog with a collar, registration tag and a microchip
- providing a balanced diet and clean, fresh water at all times
- choosing a breed of dog or cat that is suitable to your home and lifestyle
- socialising your dog as a young puppy so it feels at ease around people and other animals and teaching it correct behaviour
- exercising your dog regularly - always walk your dogs on a leash and under the control of a responsible person while in public places
- controlling dogs if they bark
- keeping your dog or cat healthy by ensuring that its vaccinations, including parvovirus, are up to date, and that it receives a healthy and balanced diet
If you wish to make a domesticated animal related complaint or enquiry, including but not limited to aggressive or noisy animals or excessive odour or numbers, please contact Council on 1300 883 699 or email ceo@bundaberg.qld.gov.au.
If your concern relates to injured wildlife or general animal welfare including cruelty, neglect or mistreatment contact RSPCA Queensland on 1300 ANIMAL (1300 777 221)
Council makes every effort to identify an animal’s owner and promptly reunite them, however when this is not possible the animal will be impounded.
Has my animal been impounded?
If your animal has been impounded, it will appear on the list below after it has been processed at the Animal Management Facility.
Processing times may vary so please check the list regularly.
Why do animals get impounded?
Animal management staff need to be able to identify an animal to return them home.
An animal can’t be identified in the following situations:
- The animal is not wearing a Council registration tag.
- The animal is not microchipped.
- The animal’s microchip details are not current.
What happens after an animal is impounded?
- Registered animals that are impounded are kept for 5 days.
- Unregistered animals that are impounded are kept for 3 days.
After this time, Council endeavours to rehome all animals where possible through external rehoming agencies.
Animals are not rehomed directly from the Animal Management Facility.
What should I do if my animal is not on the impounded animal list?
If your animal is not on the list, please call Council on 1300 883 699 or complete the lost and found animal online form to lodge your lost animal’s details.
Lost or found animal form
It is recommended to regularly check the list of impounded animals and to contact animal shelters / rehoming agencies in the region to see if your pet has been delivered to another organisation.
What should I do if I have found a lost animal?
If you have found a lost animal, please contact Council on 1300 883 699 or complete the lost and found animal online form.
Lost or found animal form
The animal management team will attend and attempt to identify an owner via a Council registration tag or microchip.
If the animal’s owner cannot be identified it will be secured at Council’s animal management facility.
How do I release my animal from the animal management facility?
If your animal is being kept at the Animal Management Facility, please contact Council on 1300 883 699 or visit a Council service centre to arrange the release of your animal.
Please note that only the legal owner of the animal can release the animal from our facility.
How much does it cost to release my animal?
Prior to releasing your animal, payment is required for the following:
- The release of the animal from the animal management facility
- Unpaid registration fees (if applicable)
- If the animal is identified as not being implanted with a PPID (microchip), a microchip fee will apply.
If your animal is impounded for longer than 5 days for registered animals or 3 days for unregistered animals, a daily sustenance fee is applicable after 48 hours of impounding.
Stock release fees vary with the type of animal. View Council’s fees and charges for a full list of applicable charges.
Council's fees and charges
Where do I collect my animal from?
Council operates a single Animal Management Facility (Pound) which is located on DeCourcy Drive approximately halfway along Potters Road, next to the Qunaba Transfer Station.
It operates Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm.
Customers must arrive no later than 4 pm to allow time for processing the release of the animal.
Please note that no cash will be accepted at the animal management facility.
If paying by cash to release your animal, please complete the payment at a Council service centre prior to collecting your animal.
Proof of payment is required to release your animal.
Council has a responsibility to deal with stock wandering on Council controlled land and public roads in the region and engage the services of an experienced stock contractor to assist in their identification and impound if necessary.
Whilst stock wandering on private property is the responsibility of the property owner to address if unsure how best to proceed Council's regulatory services officers may be able to provide further advice.
Should you encounter wandering stock and are unable to identify an owner or they present a hazard contact us on 1300 883 699.