Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world. Companion animals are an integral part of our community, culture and society. Our compassion for living things is reflected in the way that we treat our animals. Being a pet owner is a serious business and brings responsibilities for the animals, the rest of the community and the environment. Tamworth Regional Council promotes the ownership of pets in a socially and animal welfare responsible manner. The Companion Animals Act 1998 and Council’s Strategic Companion Animal Management Plan help to define and explain these responsibilities. In NSW, about 80,000 dogs and cats are lost, hurt or stolen each year. To help animals to be identified and returned to their owners, the Companion Animals Act 1998 requires all cats and dogs to be microchipped and registered for life.
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All animal owners have a responsibility to ensure that their animal is healthy and well cared for and is not a nuisance to others. The responsibilities of pet owners in NSW are defined in the Companion Animals Act 1998.
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To help the community understand and comply with the Companion Animals Act 1998, Council has developed the Strategic Companion Animal Management Plan. The SCAMP aims to balance the needs of owners with those of non-owners and the environment.
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Registration and microchipping are two of the key requirements of the Companion Animals Act 1998 and help Council to return lost and injured animals to their owners. You need to check that your working dogs meet specific requirements of the legislation to be considered exempt. All animals that are taken to the Tamworth Regional Council animal pound are scanned for a microchip to help identify them.
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The Tamworth Regional Council animal pound holds homeless, lost or abandoned animals and offers a range of other services to the community.
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Council receives more than 850 companion animal complaints each year. By far the most common are about barking dogs. There are some steps you can take if you have concerns about an incident involving an animal or their behaviour.
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