Council passes new animal management laws, reduces dog limits

Council has implemented rules to reduce the number of dogs allowed on certain properties following an increase in dog-related complaints and attacks.

At the Ordinary Meeting of Council on 18 March, and following community consultation earlier this year, Councillors approved several amendments to Subordinate Local Law No. 2 (Animal Management) 2011.

Under the changes, new provisions have been added that prohibit keeping more than two dogs on lots less than 1,500m2 and more than three dogs on lots between 1,500m2 and 4,000m2 . The former law prohibited the keeping of more than four dogs.

Council’s Regulatory Services Portfolio Councillor Cheryl Steinhardt said community safety was Council’s priority.

“The number of complaints received by Council in relation to dogs has been increasing, and this includes a rise in the number of serious dog attacks being reported,” she said.

“Reducing the number of dogs allowed can reduce the number of dogs roaming, the level of nuisance from barking and the number of dog attacks.

“For us, community safety comes first, and we need to be moving with the times as our population grows.”

Cr Steinhardt said the changes came into effect on 20 March 2026 and would not apply retrospectively.

“I must stress, Council does not expect people to get rid of their existing animals,” she said.

“If an animal was being kept in compliance with the former rules, these changes do not affect the keeping of that animal.

“From 20 March, anyone wanting to keep more than what is allowed under the amended local law will need formal Council approval.”

Nine submissions were received during community consultation, which took place from 8 January to 6 February 2026, with Council modifying some of its proposed amendments following feedback.

“The dog limit provisions already did not apply to working dogs, dogs less than 12 weeks of age or dogs kept in an approved kennel, and following community feedback, we have added a provision to allow recognised foster carers to keep an additional dog in some circumstances without the need for local law approval,” Cr Steinhardt said.

“We have also decided not to include a provision relating to the need for a 10-metre setback for bird enclosures - which could have been difficult to achieve on smaller lots - and relaxed the criteria an authorised person must consider when deciding whether an animal has caused a noise nuisance.”

In addition to reducing the number of dogs, the following changes have also been implemented:

• Adding provisions for keeping dogs and cats on caravan sites and multi-residential premises;
• Increasing (in some cases) the number of livestock that can be kept on lots less than 4ha;
• Prohibiting keeping a bull on a lot less than 4000m2;
• Allowing a limited number of pigs on a lot less than 4ha;
• Prohibiting the keeping of peacocks and guinea fowl on a lot less than 1ha; and
• Adding requirements for enclosures for bulls on a lot less than 4ha.

To read and understand the full details of Subordinate Local Law No. 2 (Animal Management) 2011, visit lockyervalley.qld.gov.au/local-laws.