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Impounded or seized dogs

Your dog could be impounded or seized if it is allowed to roam uncontrolled, is unregistered or is a potential threat to public safety.

This section tells you when these situations might happen, and what to do and expect.

Impounded dogs

A dog is usually impounded if it is allowed to roam uncontrolled and this is reported to us, or if it has wandered on to a property and the property owner requests its removal.

Impounded dogs are held for 7 days at the Animal Service Centre. If your dog has been impounded, get in touch with Animal Services. You will need to pay impound fees and any other associated fees.

Seized dogs

A dog can be seized (usually from its own property) if it's unregistered or if it's posing a threat to public safety eg. if it has attacked a person, stock or poultry.

If your dog is seized, you will be required to pay seizure fees and may need to pay other fees depending on what action is taken.

If the dog has not been collected within 7 days, a decision is made about whether the dog can be re-homed. If this isn’t an option, the dog may be euthanised.