The current local law limits on the keeping of animals have been simplified in the proposed local law.
The current local law limits lists dogs, cats, livestock, rodents or reptiles, domestic bird, poultry but not roosters, rooster, and pigeon. The current local law uses land sizes, land uses and planning scheme zones to say how many animals you can keep.
The proposed local law says in the urban area you can keep 4 pets and 5 chickens (not roosters) provided you comply with the square metre area provided in the codes for these animals under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 or the Domestic Animals Act 1994 (or any replacements). For example one cat, two dogs, 2 caged birds up to 30cm in length and 5 chickens in the urban area which has either or both buildings or street lights, not over 100 metres apart, for 500 metres or the length of the whole road.
Unless you already have some other type of animal keeping approval or authority, the proposed local law says in the urban area you need a permit to keep–
- more than 2 cats
- more than 2 dogs
- more than 5 chickens
- more than 2 caged birds up to 30cm in length
- more than 4 pets and 5 chickens.
A pet is a dog or cat over 3 months and anything like caged birds up to 30cm length, guinea pigs, mice, rabbits or reptiles usually sold in a pet shop. The Code of Practice for the Housing of Caged Birds is published by the Victorian Government. 2 caged birds up to 30cm in length is counted as one pet. You can have more of the smaller birds and the Code of Practice tells you how to calculate this by cage size.
You cannot keep free flying pigeons in the urban area.
The current local law says you cannot keep livestock (including a horse) on 0.4 hectares or less. To protect and improve the amenity of the municipal district the proposed local law says–
- you cannot keep livestock (including a horse) in the urban area
- unless otherwise approved or authorised (for example in the Farming Zone under the Horsham Planning Scheme) outside the urban area you can keep 2 horses on 4 hectares.