At a glance
- Register by
- Every cat and dog must be registered with Wyndham City Council from three months old; renewals fall due on 10 April each year
- Dog fees
- Desexed dog $63 ($32 concession); non-desexed dog $186 ($73 concession); dangerous, menacing or restricted breed dog $265
- Cat fees
- Desexed cat $32 ($19 concession); non-desexed cat (exempt) $49 ($27 concession)
- Cat containment
- 24-hour containment applies from 1 January 2026, with infringements for breaches starting in December 2026; the 10pm to 6am curfew is still enforced
- Desexing voucher
- $50 toward desexing a registered, microchipped pet; two vouchers per household, valid one month
- Phone
- Wyndham City on 1300 023 411
- Who it’s for
- Dog and cat owners in Werribee, Point Cook, Tarneit, Hoppers Crossing, Truganina and Wyndham Vale
- What to do now
- Check your pet’s registration and microchip details, and read the cat containment timetable if you own a cat
- Last checked
- Monday 9 November 2026, against eight Wyndham City pages
- Not yet confirmed
- The fine for the new 24-hour cat containment rule; the council lists only the fines for the current curfew
Wyndham City Council requires every cat and dog to be registered from three months old, annual fees range from $19 for a concession-card holder’s desexed cat to $265 for a dangerous, menacing or restricted breed dog, and cats must be contained on their owner’s property around the clock, with fines for breaching the new 24-hour rule due to start in December 2026. This guide pulls together the council’s pet registration, cat containment, desexing, off-leash and lost animal pages, read on 9 November 2026.
How do I register my cat or dog in Wyndham?
The council’s Register your cat or dog page says you must register a cat or dog once it reaches three months old. You will need your pet’s microchip number or certificate, a desexing certificate from a qualified vet (or exemption documents), and your concession card if you have one. You can register online with an account or as a guest, in which case you must call to amend or cancel the registration. You can also apply by email, post or in person with the printed form.
The council says a dog or cat must be microchipped before it can be registered; the only exemption is a signed letter from a vet saying the chip would harm the pet’s health. Cats must be desexed to be registered, while dogs do not have to be, but a desexed dog gets a discount.
How much does pet registration cost?
| Pet | Regular annual fee | Concession annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Desexed dog | $63 | $32 |
| Non-desexed dog | $186 | $73 |
| Non-desexed dog (exempt) | $63 | $32 |
| Dangerous, menacing or restricted breed dog | $265 | $265 |
| Guide dog or guide dog puppy | Free | Free |
| Desexed cat | $32 | $19 |
| Non-desexed cat (exempt) | $49 | $27 |
Concession fees apply if you hold a pensioner concession card (Centrelink or DVA) or a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card; if the council does not already have your card details you must upload a copy. All registrations renew on 10 April each year. The council posts or emails a renewal notice about four weeks before, and you need to pay before 10 April. Your first registration period runs from the date you register to the following April, and may be free if the pet has never been registered with Wyndham City. It will not be free if the pet has been registered with the council before, has been involved in an attack or an enforcement action or prosecution, or is a dangerous, menacing or restricted breed dog.
What happens with the registration tag?
Once your registration is complete, the council says it will send a tag within seven days, and your pet must wear it whenever it is outside your property. A lost tag can be replaced by logging in to the customer portal, finding your pet under My Animals and requesting a replacement; the council invoices you for the cost. A damaged tag is replaced free if you bring it to the Wyndham Civic Centre or the Point Cook, Manor Lakes or Tarneit community centres.
When will 24-hour cat containment be enforced?
On its 24-hour Cat Containment page, the council says its existing 10pm to 6am cat curfew is being extended to 24-hour containment under the Domestic Animal Management Plan 2026 to 2029, which takes effect on 1 January 2026. Cats must be contained within the property boundary at all times, just like dogs. That can mean inside the home, in a suitable cat enclosure, or in the front and back yard as long as the cat can be secured within the property. The council gives this phased timetable for 2026:
| Period | What the council says |
|---|---|
| January to March | Education campaign begins |
| April to August | Caution only, with no infringements, for breaches of the extended hours |
| September to November | Final warnings with no infringements; repeat breaches recorded |
| December | Enforcement, with infringements issued for breaches of the extended hours |
The existing 10pm to 6am curfew is still enforced throughout. The council gives two fine amounts that currently apply: $102.00 for the owner of a registered cat found wandering, and $407 for failing to apply for or renew a cat’s registration, which it describes as the prescribed penalty under its Local Law. It says these apply to the existing curfew, that fine amounts are reviewed each financial year, and that it has not given a fine amount for the extended hours.
How do I keep a cat on my property?
The council suggests cat-proof fencing, fence-top devices such as rollers, cat enclosures and catios. It says you may also keep your cat inside and use a harness and lead outside. You can walk a cat off your property if it is secured in a harness or carrier and under effective control. The council lists resources from the RSPCA and Zoos Victoria’s Safe Cat website, RSPCA Rethink Roaming and Animal Welfare Victoria, and has translated material in Arabic, Hindi, Simplified Chinese and Korean.
The council’s stated reasons for containment include that the RSPCA recommends keeping cats at home as the best way to keep them safe, with containment increasing their life expectancy by up to 10 years, and that it prevents cats killing native wildlife. If a neighbour’s cat is wandering onto your property, the council encourages you to speak with the owner first, and says you can call 1300 023 411 about trespassing cats or to request a cat trap.
How many dogs and cats can I have?
The council’s Keeping dogs and cats page sets limits by property type, above which you need an excess animal permit:
| Property | Dogs | Cats | Both |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat, unit or townhouse | 1 | 2 | 1 dog and 1 cat |
| Residential property | 2 | 3 | 2 dogs and 2 cats, or 1 dog and 3 cats |
| Rural property | 4 | 4 | 4 dogs and 4 cats |
Dogs must be contained on your property at all times unless they are on a lead or chain and under control, or in a designated off-leash area. Kennels must be in the backyard, no taller than 2.5 metres and at least 1.25 metres from the boundary unless against a solid fence or building. A structure for more than four dogs needs a planning permit.
What are the rules in off-leash dog areas?
Off-leash areas are the only public spaces where a dog can be off the lead, according to the council’s Off-leash areas page. Your dog must be on a leash entering and leaving, have a current registration tag on its collar or leash, stay where you can see it and where it will come when called, be recalled or restrained around other dogs or people, stay out of waterways, and not chase or attack wildlife. You must carry a leash, chain or cord strong enough to control the dog, and pick up its poo.
Some dogs must stay on a leash even in off-leash areas: dogs aggressive to other dogs or people, dogs not used to other dogs or people, dogs that chase moving objects such as bicycles or cars, dogs in season, greyhounds, and menacing, dangerous or restricted breed dogs. The council says it is working on more off-leash areas under its Dog Off-Leash Plan and publishes a map of the current areas.
Is there help with the cost of desexing?
The council says a registered, microchipped pet may be eligible for a $50 voucher toward desexing, redeemable at participating veterinary clinics. Bring the pet’s microchip details and proof of registration to the Wyndham Civic Centre, a local community centre or the Wyndham City Pound. Vouchers are valid for one month from issue, with a limit of two per household. Cats can be registered without desexing only if they are over 10 years old, the owner is a registered domestic animal business, a vet has signed a letter saying desexing would harm the cat, or the cat is registered with one of three named cat organisations. Wyndham introduced mandatory cat desexing on 2 January 2017.
Where do I look for a lost pet?
The council’s Lost Animals page carries a regularly updated Lost Animal Register. If your pet is not listed, the council points to two places:
| Name | Address | Phone and hours |
|---|---|---|
| Wyndham City Pound | Unit 1, 6 Wallace Avenue, Point Cook | 1300 023 411; Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm, by appointment only |
| The Lost Dogs Home | 2 Gracie Street, North Melbourne | 9329 2755 |
The council says the pound is easily accessed from the Princes Freeway via Boardwalk Boulevard and Palmers Road. If an unregistered, non-desexed cat is impounded, the owner must have it desexed at a vet before release and pays for it, though the council offers a $50 voucher toward the cost.
Sources
- Wyndham City — Register your cat or dog (fees, renewal, tags; checked 9 November 2026)
- Wyndham City — 24-hour Cat Containment (timetable, fines, FAQs; checked 9 November 2026)
- Wyndham City — Keeping dogs and cats (numbers allowed, curfews, kennels; checked 9 November 2026)
- Wyndham City — Desexing your cat or dog (exemptions, voucher; checked 9 November 2026)
- Wyndham City — Mandatory cat desexing (checked 9 November 2026)
- Wyndham City — Off-leash areas for your dog (checked 9 November 2026)
- Wyndham City — Lost Animals (pound and Lost Dogs Home; checked 9 November 2026)
Featured image: Flame Robin at Point Cook Coastal Park (photo: Dorothy Jenkins / CC BY-SA 2.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Wyndham City. Fees, fines and rules can change; check the council’s pages before you act.