All dogs and cats should be registered with Wyndham City Council once they reach three months old.
Microchipping
Your dog or cat must be microchipped before it can be registered with Wyndham City Council.
Microchipping is a safe and easy way of giving your pets a permanent form of identification. It involves injecting a small microchip with a unique number under the skin. This can be done by your vet or by an authorised microchip implanter.
The only exemption to having a microchip is if it would be harmful to your pet's health. You will need to provide a signed letter from your vet.
How many cats and dogs you are allowed
The number of cats and dogs you can own without needing an excess animal permit depends on the kind of property you live in.
See the table to learn how many dogs and cats you can have on your property.
Number of dogs and cats allowed on different kinds of properties
| Flat, unit or townhouse | Residential property | Rural property | |
| Dogs | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Cats | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Both dogs and cats | 1 dog and 1 cat | 2 dogs and 2 cats OR 1 dog and 3 cats | 4 dogs and 4 cats |
If you have more dogs or cats on your property, you will need to get an excess animal permit.
Pet curfews
Dogs
Dogs must be contained on your property at all times unless:
- they are on a lead or chain and under control
- they are in a designated off-leash area.
For more information about walking your dog in Wyndham, see the Off-leash areas for dogs page.
Cats
Your cat must be contained on your property from 10pm at night to 6am in the morning. This keeps them safe from getting injured, lost or infected with a disease, while also protecting our native wildlife.
If your cat is found off your property after curfew, you could get an infringement.
Changes to the cat curfew
Cat curfews are changing. From 1 January 2026, a 24-hour cat containment curfew is in place. However, we will not be enforcing the new curfew until December 2026. The 10pm to 6am curfew will still be enforced.
For more information about the changes, see the 24-hour cat containment page.
Kennels or enclosures
Kennels must be:
- located in your backyard
- no taller than 2.5m
- at least 1.25m from the boundary of your property, unless it is up against a solid fence or building.
If you want to build a kennel or structure that will hold more than four dogs, you will need to get a planning permit.
Dangerous, menacing or restricted breed dogs
Some dogs have particular restrictions if they are considered dangerous or menacing, or are a restricted breed. This includes things like:
- a more vigorous registration process
- higher registration fees
- a requirement to always be muzzled and on a leash when outside their owner’s property.
For more information about dangerous, menacing or restricted breed dogs, see the Animal Welfare Victoria website.
Greyhounds
Greyhounds have special requirements and may need different permits. For more information about greyhounds, see the Animal Welfare Victoria website.