Companion animals

At CN, we love animals!

Reg cl 217(1)(f) Companion Animals Guidelines

Our ranger team consists of 6 rangers and a senior ranger who work 365 days per year, keeping pets and residents around the city safe. They use a variety of community-focused education and regulatory initiatives to achieve their responsibilities in accordance with the guidelines of the Companion Animals Act 1998.

Newcastle LGA has one of the largest pet ownership areas in the state with just over 100,000 companion animals, and we continue to grow. Rangers reunited 180 pets with their owners this year and conducted a total of 120 proactive patrols throughout the LGA, including hotspot locations and regulation of our 18 off-leash parks and Bathers Way.

Our regulatory actions involved responding to and investigating complaints regarding dog attacks, nuisance dogs and cats, barking dogs and the regulation of declared dangerous, menacing and restricted dogs to ensure dog owners are complying with the control requirements under the Companion Animals Act 1998. This year there were 529 pets transported to CN’s animal management facility. If seized animals are not claimed by their owners, the animals are then transferred into the care of the RSPCA for adoption and rehoming. There were 298 dog attacks reported to CN during the 2021/2022 financial year. Ranger services provide 24/7 coverage to the LGA. Throughout the year, rangers responded to 350 companion animal-related requests and conducted 120 proactive patrols of CN’s parks and reserves, including Bathers Way. During these proactive patrols, rangers have been trialling ranger dog ‘Bella’, a 2-year-old golden retriever, on foot patrols along Bathers Way and CN parks/reserves. It has been very well received within the community and a considerable amount of positive feedback has been given by members of the public.

Rangers and Bella attend Bathers Way for morning foot patrols from Merewether to Bar Beach most days, and afternoon park patrols are conducted with Bella 3 afternoons per week at Lambton Park and Acacia Avenue Reserve. During these patrols, rangers engage with dog owners and educate people about being responsible pet owners. Having Bella during patrols has resulted in people being more willing to engage and have a conversation with the ranger team.

CN’s companion animal funds have been used for desexing and vaccinating unwanted pound animals for rehoming and placing advertisements on social media for lost pound animals.

Our performance

Pets reunited 180

Proactive patrols 120

529

pets transported to CN's animal management facility

298

dog attacks Rangers responded to 350

companion animal-related requests

There are some rare breeds Tatra Shepherd Dog, Spanodor, Russian Black Terrier, Dutch Shepherd, Bluetick Coonhound, Catahoula Leopard just to mention a few.

The most popular breeds include Maltese, Bull Terrier (Staffordshire), Labrador Retriever, Australian Kelpie, and Australian Cattle Dog.