Guard dogs

There are specific rules for guard dogs which are grouped into the following 3 categories.

• Guard dog: A dog that is kept on a premises to guard and protect people at that location.

• Patrol dog: A dog under the control of a person, which patrols premises for the purpose of guarding or protecting a person or property at that location.
• Attack trained: A dog which has been specially trained or undergoing training to attack a person on command. Attack-trained dogs support police or armed forces duties and are not generally seen in the community.

The rules that apply for each follow.

Guard dog
A dog that is kept on a premises to guard and protect people at that location.

• Must be implanted with a microchip that meets Australian Standards and contains current information.
• Must be kept indoors, or in an enclosure that is constructed to prevent the dog from escaping.
• Must wear a fluorescent red and yellow collar obtained from the Council.
• May be off leash whilst on the premises they are protecting or within the premises occupied by the owner of the dog.
• Must be on a leash in public places.
• Signs must be displayed stating, 'Warning' -minimum font (letter size) of 60mm, 'Guard Dog Kept on These Premises' - minimum font (letter size) of 40mm and bearing a contact phone number for the owner or handler of the dog which can be accessed at all times - minimum font (letter size) of 20mm. The signs must be a minimum size of 450mm x 300mm, with a yellow background
  and black writing.

Attack trained
A dog which has been specially trained or undergoing training to attack a person on command. Attack-trained dogs support police or armed forces duties and are not generally seen in the community.

• Must be implanted with a microchip that meets Australian Standards and contains current information.
• Must be kept indoors, or in an enclosure that is constructed so as to prevent the dog from escaping.
• No specific collar is required.
• Must be on a lead in public places.
  (For retired dogs of the Crown, see Exemptions)
• A sign must be displayed in areas in which the dog lives stating, 'Attack Trained Dog Kept on These Premises'. These signs should be a minimum size of 74mm x 105mm, with a yellow background and black writing. The minimum font (letter size) should be no smaller than 20mm high.

Patrol dog
A dog under the control of a person, which patrols premises for the purpose of guarding or protecting a person or property at that location.

• Must be implanted with a microchip that meets Australian Standards and contains current information.
• Must be kept indoors, or in an enclosure that is constructed to prevent the dog from escaping.
• No specific collar is required.
• Must be on a leash in public places.
• Signs must be displayed in areas in which the dog is working stating, 'Warning' - minimum font (letter size) of 60mm, 'Patrol Dog Guards These Premises' - minimum font (letter size) of 40mm. The signs must be a minimum size of 450mm x 300mm, with a yellow background and black writing.