Lost pets

What to do if you have lost or found a pet

It can be a very distressing time when your pet is missing.

If you have a lost pet, we advise you to do the following:

1. Report your missing pet via the council website

2. Contact council on 1300 136 833 to see if you lost pet has been collected by our Companion Animal Shelter team

3. Contact local veterinary clinics to see if they have had your lost pet handed in.

Report a Problem

Note: When contacting council regarding a lost pet, please try to have their microchip number, and a detailed description ready to assist us with relocating your pet.

If you have found an animal, we advise you immediately do the following:

1. After ensuring it is safe to do so, try to contain the animal and check to see if it is wearing any form of identification such as an engraved tag on a collar.

2. Report a found animal using council's online customer request service, or phone 1300 136 833 to arrange collection of the animal by one of Council's Rangers.

Report a Problem

Impounded animals

Animals may be impounded by either Armidale Regional Council or Uralla Shire Council. All animals released from an animal shelter in NSW must be microchipped and lifetime registered regardless of exemption status. Additionally, annual permits will apply to all non desexed cats and dangerous/restricted dogs. Impounded animals within the Armidale Regional Council area will be held at the Companion Animal Shelter in Armidale.

Impounding fees are:

$80 for first impounding within 12 months
$145 second and subsequent impounding within 12 months
Daily maintenance fees are $30 per day

Responsibilities of cat owners

Under the provisions of the Companion Animal Act 1998, cats within NSW are considered to have no boundaries and are free to roam. Due to this we are unable to seize stray cats. It is often difficult to determine someone's pet from a stray or homeless cat.

We encourage responsible cat ownership and recommend owners take the following steps so that their cat has a minimal impact on its surrounding environment.

Ensure that your cat is microchipped and registered. Put a collar and tag on your cat.
Desex your cat at an early age. You will not have the worry about unwanted kittens, and it reduces the chances of having a non desexed male hanging around marking his territory and yowling at inconvenient hours. Desexing male cats at an early age will reduce involvement in cat fights and the tendency of your cat to wander looking for a female.
Keep your cat indoors at night. Cats tend to cause the most damage to the environment during the night when they can hunt under the cover of darkness. Remember cats are natural hunters so by keeping them in at night it greatly reduces their urge to hunt.
Ensure your cat has adequate food, water and shelter at all times.