Learn about your responsibilities as the owner of a dangerous or menacing dog. Find conditions and fee information.
Dogs deemed dangerous or menacing by Council may be declared as a regulated dog under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008 (the Act).
If you own a regulated dog, you must comply with mandatory conditions to ensure they don’t pose a risk to any people, animals or wildlife.
Council may declare a dog dangerous if:
Council may declare a dog menacing if:
it has caused fear to a person or another animal
an authorised person forms an opinion that it may attack (in a way that is not considered serious) a person or another animal.
Understand the actions to take following a declaration or proposed declaration.
If you have received a proposed declaration as dangerous or menacing for your dog, you have 14 days to provide written representations to Council as to why the declaration should not be given.
Council will consider all representations given and will decide to declare the animal or withdraw the proposed declaration.
If you have received a declaration for your dog, you can apply for an internal review of the decision via the General Review Application form.
You can surrender your dog to Council at any point of an investigation, or if you have received a proposed declaration or declaration. If you wish to surrender your dog, contact Council on 07 3403 8888.
If you want to keep your dog, you must comply with mandatory requirements under the Act. You must also pay higher dog registration fees.
Under the Act, there are conditions and legislative requirements you must comply with when keeping a declared dangerous or declared menacing dog.
Download the conditions for keeping a declared dangerous dog.
Download the conditions for keeping a declared menacing dog.
Pay the annual registration fee for regulated dogs.
Microchip your dog. A vet can do this for you.
Whenever you move address, you must advise Council and contact your microchip registry to update your details.
You must desex your dog if it's declared dangerous.
Desexed declared menacing dogs are eligible for reduced fees.
Your dog must always wear the distinctive collar and attached yellow regulated dog tag provided by Council.
The distinctive collar must:
You may purchase replacement collars from Council. Replacement tags are provided free.
You must display approved warning signage at or near every entrance to your property.
You may purchase additional or replacement signs from Council.
You must muzzle your dog when it is taken outside its keeping address as identified in the dog registration if any of the following apply:
If your dog is declared menacing, Council recommends you muzzle your dog when in public to prevent further incidents from occurring.
Your dog must be kept in an approved enclosure when it’s home.
The enclosure must comply with the requirements in the Act and the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Regulation 2019 (Council provides the permit condition requirements if your dog is declared a regulated dog).
Council conducts regular inspections of approved dog enclosures.
You must pay annual registration fees for keeping a dangerous or menacing dog.
You may qualify for reduced fees in subsequent years if you comply with the keeping conditions of a regulated dog.
| Registration type | Full fee | Reduced fee |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous dog | $1,080.10* | $271.85 |
| Desexed menacing dog | $763.45* | $217.35 |
| Non-desexed menacing dog | $1,080.10* | $271.85 |
*The first-year registration of a declared dangerous dog or a declared menacing dog incurs additional fees for the issue of the distinctive collar and the sign.
There are fees for replacing items you must have for your dangerous or menacing dog.
| Replacement item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Declared dangerous or menacing dog sign | $36.70 |
| Regulated dog collar - small | $67.20 |
| Regulated dog collar - medium | $94 |
| Regulated dog collar - large | $98.05 |
A number of dog breeds are prohibited in Queensland because they’re considered a higher risk to community safety.
You can’t own any of the following dog breeds in Queensland under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008:
Report a prohibited dog by calling 07 3403 8888.
You can appeal the decision if your dog is declared dangerous or menacing. The appeal process will be outlined at the time of the declaration.
A declared dangerous dog cannot regain a non-dangerous status under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008.
If you possess a prohibited dog breed, Council will immediately seize the dog and issue a destruction order under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008.
Any animal, other than a dog, can be investigated and declared regulated under Council’s Animals Local Law 2017. An animal may be regulated if it has attacked a person or another animal, or is deemed at risk of attacking.
Conditions of ownership will apply and an annual fee will be charged. Find information about keeping animals that are declared dangerous.
If you don’t comply with the regulations for a declared dangerous or menacing dog, you can be issued with a compliance notice, a fine or the dog may be seized under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008.
Council also has the ability to issue a destruction order if the dog is seized for non-compliance with keeping conditions.
If your declared dangerous or menacing dog is found wandering, Council will seize and impound it. We may issue a destruction order if we believe the dog is a risk to the community.
Declared dangerous and menacing dogs must be kept in approved enclosures at home. The enclosure must not allow the dog to escape and must comply with permit conditions.
You should report any sightings of wild dogs. They can be dangerous to people, pets and wildlife. A wild dog is any free-ranging dog without an owner, including:
You can report a wild dog and other invasive species using the online form.
Dogs surrendered to Council following a serious attack will be euthanised.
If the attack was not serious, the dog may be euthanised or assessed and considered for rehoming.
If the dog is already a regulated dog under the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008, Council must euthanise the dog.
