You should avoid purchasing or acquiring a dog or a cat that is not microchipped. If the animal you acquire is not microchipped, it becomes your responsibility to ensure that it is microchipped.

A certificate and details of the microchip registry company or a transfer of ownership document should be provided to you by the person who sold or gave you the animal.

It is a requirement under the ‘Act’ for the owner of a microchipped animal to contact the microchip provider to change details such as a change of address, change of ownership or any change to the status of the animal within 7 days.

You must ensure the animal is microchipped by an authorised implanter before selling or giving it away. This includes puppies and kittens. If the puppy/kitten is too young to microchip, you must wait until it is old enough to have it microchipped.

Provide the buyer with the microchip number, the details of the microchip registry company and a transfer of ownership document.

You need to provide the following information to register your dog:

• breed
• colour
• dog's name
• microchip (where applicable)
• owner's name, address and contact number
• desexing certificate (this is a requirement to receive the discounted rate)
• age
• sex
• property details where the dog is kept
• proof of concession entitlement.

We are also able to take note of any distinguishing features or marks your dog may have as well as record the microchip number if applicable.

Your dog is only registered once the required information is provided, the correct registration fee has been paid and a registration tag number is assigned to your dog.

Reciprocal registration is a transfer of the balance of the current year's registration of an animal from one local government area to another. This means there is no fee to register in that current financial year.

Reciprocal registration can occur when:

• a dog (other than a regulated dog) is currently registered with another local government in Australia and satisfactory proof of registration is produced to Council (such as a receipt or registration certificate)
• the reciprocal registration request is lodged within 14 days of moving to the Toowoomba Regional Council area.

If you qualify for reciprocal registration please:

• visit a Customer Service Centre to complete an animal registration form for the animal/s
• provide proof of current registration (receipt or registration certificate) with another local government
• provide a microchip number if applicable
• proof of desexing (if you wish to claim the desexed animal rebate).

Remember to:

• update your animals' new residency details on the national database (microchipping).

We offer a discounted registration rate for desexed dogs, see animal registration fees.

Dogs that have been obedience trained are less likely to cause a nuisance. Therefore in the spirit of rewarding responsible dog owners, we offer a registration discount for dogs over 6 months of age that have reached an appropriate level of obedience. View our animal registration fees.

A Certificate of completion/achievement issued by a qualified dog trainer must be provided when registering your dog. If you are registering the dog using our online service, please attach the Certificate to the application.

Puppy preschool graduation is not accepted as obedience trained.

We're proud to offer a nil registration fee for eligible assistance dogs. To be eligible you will need to:

• have a disability as defined by the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dog Act 2009 
• rely on a guide, hearing or assistance dog to reduce your need for support
• have your dog pass the Public Asset Test (PAT) and be certified by a trainer or training institution
• hold a current ID card issued under the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dog Act 2009, or handler ID card issued under the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

For further information please contact us.

To be eligible for a discount on your dog registration you must have one of the following:

• a current Queensland Centrelink Pensioner Concession card, or
• a Veterans' Affairs gold card.

It is very important to advise us of any changes to your dog's registration details. For example, if you move house or change your telephone number, we must alter the records so we can still contact you if your dog is found outside your property. It also ensures that you receive your annual renewal notice and your dog isn't left unregistered after the annual expiry date.

The number of animals you can keep at your property depends on a number of considerations. To find out the number of allowed animals for your property view requirements for animal owners.

If your dog passed away in the first month of the current registration period (1 to 31 July), you will qualify for a refund. Reasonable proof will be required e.g. euthanasia certificate, confirmation letter from a vet or an invoice.

If your dog has passed away after 31 July in any year a refund will not be available. However, during the current registration year you are entitled to an initial nil registration fee for the remainder of the registration period, should you wish to register a new dog.

We must be advised within 7 days of the death in order for a refund to be considered. You can contact Council to discuss your circumstances.