Lost Dogs and Cats
If you have lost your dog or cat:
- Click here to be taken to the RSPCA's 'Lost Pets' service
- Scroll to the bottom of the page
- Select 'dog' or 'cat'
- Click 'search animals'
- All unidentified dogs and cats that have been impounded by Council's appointed Animal Management Officer will display.
For further information, please contact the Animal Management Officer on 0412 150 115.
Council's Dog and Cat Centre
The centre is located on Watts Street behind the RSPCA and is open 3pm - 4pm weekdays (except Public Holidays).
If your dog or cat is held at the centre, a $50 release fee will apply, plus $25 for every day or part-day spent at the centre.
All dogs must be registered before they are allowed to leave the centre.
You can surrender (i.e. give up ownership of) your dog or cat to council for a fee of $85 (if dropped off) or $90 (if picked up).
If you have any interest in adopting a pet you can visit: www.rspcasa.org.au or www.animalwelfare.com.au
After hours service for dogs
After hours (5pm-9pm weekdays, 9am-9pm weekends/public holidays)
Council’s After hours Call Centre – 8640 3444
Every dog owner has a legal responsibility to adequately contain their dogs to the premises and not allow them to wander.
Council offers a limited afterhours service for the collection and detention of lost or escaped dogs that have been found by residents and can be held for pick up by an animal management officer.
Dogs that are wandering or roaming will not be attended to by officers after hours. However, can still be reported to council so information on sightings can be passed onto owners who may be looking for their dog.
Cats are not attended to after hours, no cat traps are to be set over the weekends or on public holidays as they will not be picked by council officers and will remain the responsibility of the person setting the trap until the next business day. See ‘Cat Information' below.
All complaints regarding dogs or cats (eg, barking dogs, dogs off leash, cats fighting/spraying, etc.) should be made to council during normal business hours so they can be investigated.
Dog attacks
All dog attacks that occur after hours can be reported to council on 8640 3444. An officer may ring the following business day for required information if necessary, or may attend at the time of the attack, depending on the circumstances.
Alternatively, SAPOL can be contacted for emergency assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - 131 444 for non-urgent assistance; 000 in an emergency.
Animal welfare reports
The RSPCA Hotline - 1300 477 722 – is mainly for cruelty reports and some animal emergencies.
If you are concerned about the ill treatment of an animal or an animal’s welfare, please contact the RSPCA Hotline on 1300 477 722.
Registration of dogs
All dogs over three months of age must be registered / re-registered by 31 August each year.
Registrations expire on 30 June each year, however, there is a two-month grace period before re-registration is to be completed.
See the below table for the cost of registration (as of 1 July 2025).
| Registration Type | Fees - Standard | Fees - Concession |
|---|---|---|
| Desexed and microchipped | $45.00 | $22.50 |
| Not microchipped or desexed | $90.00 | $45.00 |
| Desexed, microchipped and trained | $36.00 | $18.00 |
Only two dogs per property can be registered at concession rates. Any extra dogs on the property must pay the standard rate.
| Property Type* | Number of Dogs Permitted |
|---|---|
| Small dwelling | 1 |
| Township | 2 |
| Outside of township | 3 |
*Click here to see the full by-law, including more detail on property types
A late fee will apply after 31 August every year if a dog is not re-registered. You will incur a fine if your dog is over three months of age and is not registered.
Cat Information
Registration of Cats
Only two cats are permitted per property. Registrations expire on 30 June each year, however, there is a two-month grace period before re-registration is to be completed.
See the table below for the cost of registration (as of 1 July 2025).
| Registration Type | Fees - Standard | Fees - Concession |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD CAT - Desexed and microchipped | $22.50 | $11.25 |
| NON-STANDARD CAT - Not desexed and/or not microchipped | $90.00 | $45.00 |
As of 1 July 2014, all cats will need to be microchipped and registered with the Whyalla City Council.
A late fee will apply after 31 August every year if a cat is not re-registered. You will incur a fine if your cat is over three months of age and is not registered.
Cat traps
Cat traps are available for hire though the Dog and Cat Centre. There is a deposit required of $100.00 which will be refunded when the trap is returned and a $20.00 per week charge for the cat trap*.
*Trapped cats will only be collected Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Council staff are not required to deal with cats or cat issues outside of normal business hours. Privately owned cat traps that have not been hired through council will not be picked up or dropped off to residents. If you have trapped a cat in your own trap you can drop it into Council's Dog and Cat Centre between the hours of 3pm-4pm during weekdays and pick up your trap the following business day (between 3pm-4pm).
Please note:
- No person may interfere with or remove the means by which a cat is identified
- The trap must not be used on any land or property without the consent of the occupier or owner of that land or property
- The trap must only be used for the purpose of trapping cats wandering at large on personal property
- You are personally responsible for the health and wellbeing of any animal caught in the trap while it is in your possession and you must ensure that the animal receives adequate food, water and shelter until it is delivered to Council's Dog and Cat Centre
- If you trap a cat, you must deliver it within 24 hours of capture to Council's Dog and Cat Centre between 3pm-4pm weekdays, or contact Council on 0412 150 115 to arrange an alternative time.
For more information about cats, please contact Whyalla City Council on 8640 3444, or the Dog and Cat Centre on 0412 150 115.
Change of ownership
If your dog has either:
- Passed away;
- been missing for more than 72 hours;
- changed address, or
- you have given your dog to someone else;
you are required, by law, to update your details on Dogs and Cats Online (DACO).
When you give your dog away, you must initiate a transfer in DACO and enter the name and address of the new owner. A transfer code will be generated for the new owner to log in to DACO, accept the animal and complete the transfer. The registration disc should also be given to the new owner.
For more information, or assistance with Dogs and Cats Online, please contact Council on 8640 3444 or email council@whyalla.sa.gov.au.
Nuisance by dog or cat
This form must be completed and sent to Council before the Animal Management Officer can investigate the matter. Please give as much detail as possible and include your name and contact details for Council to be able to contact you for more information if required.
What is a nuisance dog or cat?
A nuisance dog or cat is one that:
- consistently roams; or
- makes persistent, excessive noise i.e. barking; or
- repeatedly defecates on private property other than the property on which it is ordinarily kept; or
- repeatedly causes substantial damage to anything outside the property which it is ordinarily kept.
External animal management services
PLEASE NOTE: This information is offered as a guide only, as these services are not operated by Council. If you are aware of any of the contact details needing to be updated, please contact us on 8640 3444; council@whyalla.sa.gov.au; or via Facebook direct message.
Snakes
Snakes and lizards are a highly valued part of healthy native ecosystems and help reduce other nuisance pests such as rats and mice.
While some snake species are highly venomous, all snakes are unlikely to attack you unless frightened or startled.
Make sure you know how to deal with snakes as they make their reappearance in the warmer months. After a long winter sleep, snakes are on the move with two things in mind – finding food and finding a mate.
Keep your grass low, avoid putting your hands into places where snakes may shelter, and never try and approach a snake for a closer look. Control the curiosity of your pets to ensure we can all live safely together. See the Snake Safety Factsheet for more information.
Snakes live all over South Australia and are common in the suburbs and at the beach, so don’t think you’ll never see one.
What to do if you see a snake in the wild
- Leave it alone. Snakes are generally shy and will not attack unless provoked, so it’s best to leave them be
- If you see a snake inside your home, get all people and pets out of the room immediately. Shut the door and fill the gap underneath with a towel, then call a professional snake catcher for assistance
- If you see a snake outside, watch where it goes. If it’s heading for the bush or an open paddock, you probably won’t see it again. If it disappears into a shed or under a vehicle, then you may need to call a snake catcher
Snake Catcher Information
If you have a snake issue or would like some information, please contact one of the following people below:
Gavin Boehm - 0421 768 277
Please note there is a $50 call out fee whether the snake is caught or not.
Bee removal
Justin Hoffman - 0429 455 599
Wildlife Rescue Whyalla
If you require any assistance with wildlife rescue after hours, please contact the below numbers:
| 0458 686 987 |
| 0447 741 819 |
| 0410 236 519 |