Under the Companion Animals Act 1998 an animal may ONLY be seized in the following circumstances:

• If an animal is in a public place prohibited under the Act (eg food preparation/consumption area or wildlife protection area) (section 30).
• If seizing the animal is reasonable and necessary for the protection of any person or animal (section 32).

Before delivering the animal to the pound, you must make every effort to locate the owner – by asking neighbours and other local residents if they know who that might be.

If your pet or another pet you know of has been taken by a pound ranger under any other circumstance, you should make a formal complaint to the Department of Local Government. Taking animals under any other circumstance, unnecessarily fills up pounds, results in the needless death of family pets, and contributes to the euthanasia rate, which is out of control in Australia.

Please speak out to help save lives.

Email: pets@dlg.nsw.gov.au

Tel: 61-2-4428 4100