Dubbo City Animal Shelter and Wellington Pound

It is a requirement that people make an appointment before attending. If you do not have an appointment, you may be turned away and will not be able to attend. To avoid any inconvenience, please call us to make an appointment. Collection times at Dubbo City Animal Shelter are Monday to Friday 12pm to 4pm and Saturday 11am to 1pm, and Wellington Pound when available.

The Dubbo City Animal Shelter and Wellington Pound are managed by Dubbo Regional Council. These facilities provide a service to residents in the Local Government Area for lost and stray cats and dogs. The Shelter offers microchipping, registration, sale of dangerous dog merchandise and adoption of unclaimed animals.

These facilities are a safe haven for lost and stray cats and dogs, keeping them protected until their owner (or a new owner) can be found. Fees apply for the release of impounded animals and animals must be registered before release.

LOCATION AND OPENING HOURS

DUBBO CITY ANIMAL SHELTER

The Dubbo City Animal Shelter is located at 30L Boothenba Road, Dubbo at the corner of Yarrandale Road.

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Open - Monday to Friday - 12 pm to 4 pm and Saturday - 11 am to 1 pm

The Shelter is closed on Sundays and public holidays.

WELLINGTON POUND

The Wellington Pound is located at the rear of the Wellington Works Depot on Amaroo Drive.

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The Pound is not manned on a continuous basis. If access is required please call the Ranger on 02 6801 4000 between 8:30am - 5pm Monday to Saturday. Surrender cages are located at the pound and are available Monday to Saturday. The Surrender cages are closed when the Ranger is not on duty.

CONTACT US

Animal Shelter: 6801 4640

Ranger Services: 6801 4000

Email: council@dubbo.nsw.gov.au

Facebook: Dubbo City Animal Shelter & Wellington Pound

FEES AND CHARGES

Please see below for fees and charges relating to pet ownership; including Dubbo Regional Council fees and fees for registration, permits, and adoptions.

REGISTRATIONS AND PERMITS

Fees and charges for registration are set by Office of Local Government NSW. New registration fees are in accordance with clause 18 of the Companion Animals Regulation 2018. Registration is only required if an animal is not already lifetime registered in NSW.

Check the current fee schedule at the OLG website.

ADOPTIONS

Adoption fees for cats and dogs from the Dubbo City Animal Shelter and Wellington Pound are outlined in Council's Fees and Charges at Integrated Planning and Reporting. All pets sold through the shelter are desexed, microchipped and vet-checked. Contact the Dubbo City Animal Shelter.

FAQs - I've found a dog or cat

In accordance with the NSW Companion Animals Act, 1998, if you find a lost animal you are required to deliver it to a Council shelter (pound) or a vet within 72 hours. The owner may be looking for the animal and therefore Council needs to check the microchip and contact the owner. All Dubbo vets can check the microchip and contact the owner or, if not microchipped, they will contact Council for collection. After hours pens are available at the Animal Shelter for the public to drop off lost and stray dogs and cats at any time and the pens are checked daily. Please complete the appropriate form when leaving an animal as information provided could assist in finding the owner or re-homing the animal as soon as possible. Once impounded, unless surrendered by the registered owner, identified animals must be kept for 14 days. Unidentified animals must be kept for seven days. If the animal remains unclaimed it then becomes the property of Council and may be made available for adoption or offered to a rescue group.

FAQs - I want to adopt a dog or cat

Many of our unclaimed animals are made available for adoption. All animals undergo a basic behaviour assessment and vet check and are vaccinated, wormed, desexed, microchipped and registered.

To help make you decision about getting a dog, read our brochure: Buying a Puppy (PDF 572.6KB)

Animals available can be viewed on our Facebook page Monthly album

Once you have decided to adopt, paid the relevant fees and completed the necessary paperwork, the animal will be booked in for desexing and you will be advised when you can collect it directly from the vet. If it is already desexed, you can take your new pet home straight away. Our adoption fee includes the cost of microchipping and the associated vet costs and therefore are subject to change depending on the vet's costs.

FAQs - What are annual permits?

In July 2020, NSW Government introduced annual permits for non-desexed cats and restricted and dangerous dogs as part of its commitment to promoting responsible pet ownership and improving animal welfare standards.

How you can avoid the annual permit:

desex your cat by four months of age, or request an exemption from your vet*
don’t own a restricted dog
manage your dog’s behaviour to ensure that it’s not declared dangerous
if you are a breeder, join a recognised cat breeding body

*Cats that cannot be desexed, either temporarily or permanently, are exempt from paying an annual permit. A certificate from your vet is required to qualify for this exemption.

Fines do apply for pet owners who fail to obtain an annual permit.

FAQs - I've lost my dog or cat

If you have lost your dog or cat, please contact us as soon as possible. If we do not yet have your pet impounded, we can take your details and contact you if it does end up being impounded. Social media can also be very effective and there are a number of pet lost and found Facebook pages for the area. We also have a Facebook page where you can post a picture of your lost pet. We regularly post animals that have been impounded but please do not rely on these posts only as not all animals are included. Give us a call or drop in during opening hours to check if your lost animal is currently in our care.

FAQs - I want to surrender my dog or cat

We understand that the unexpected can occur which may mean you can no longer care for your pet. To give your pet the best chance of a loving home, it is suggested that you make your own enquiries to rehome your pet before contacting us. If you have no other option you may surrender your dog or cat to us. The legal owner must complete a signed Surrender Form. A small surrender fee applies to cover the costs of assessing and keeping your animal while arrangements are made for its care. If your pet is already impounded with us and you do not wish to claim it, we request a Surrender Form to be completed so that we can commence rehoming arrangements as soon as possible.

FAQs - How do I know when fireworks will be held?

Dubbo Regional Council aims to support pet owners in our community with notification of approved fireworks activity.

There are currently no approved fireworks planned for our region.

Last Edited: 01 Jul 2024