How to register your dog and cat online in South Australia

Pet owners take note – it’s that time of year... Dog and cat renewal notices will soon be issued to more than 300,000 South Australians by post, SMS or email.

Now while you can still pay your registration fees at your local council office, Dogs and Cats Online offers 24 hour convenience, in just a few clicks.

Dogs and Cats Online is a one-stop service for all annual registration payments, and contains records of dog and cat microchipping and desexing, as well as breeder details.

And by entering your pet’s details online, it means fellow pet lovers can learn things like this:

Popular dog and cat names: Bella, Charlie and Molly

The team at Dogs and Cats Online tell us that the most popular pet names in South Australia are Bella, Charlie and Molly, which all sit in the top ten for both dogs and cats.

Other popular dogs names include Max, Buddy, Jack and Cooper, while cat owners like names such as Luna, Missy, Smokey and Tiger.

The most popular dog breeds registered in SA are Maltese, Australian kelpies and Labrador retrievers.

See below for the full lists.

No more annual plastic discs

Did you know that your dog’s registration number is now with it for life? So you won’t receive a new disc with your annual renewal notices. This is good news for the environment and an opportunity for you to make it special.

You don’t have to stick to the boring plastic first-issue discs either. Why not have your dog’s unique number engraved on a metal disc or on their collar’s ID plate?

You can pick any shape or colour disc you fancy, as long as the registration number is clear.

Don’t forget the cat

Traditionally, dogs have had all the focus, but with desexing and microchipping now mandatory for all dogs and cats born after 1 July 2018, you also need to register your cats in Dogs and Cats Online.

Some councils charge for cat registrations – check your renewals notice for details.

Why should I use Dogs and Cats Online?

Desexing and microchipping dogs and cats is now mandatory, and Dogs and Cats Online is the statewide register of these details.

The database also records registered breeders, so anyone who sells a dog or cat they’ve bred must also be registered in the system.

Keeping your information in Dogs and Cats Online current is important for many reasons. Say you move house or your pet goes missing, you’re more likely to have them returned if their registration and microchip details are up-to-date.

If your dog or cat does wander, you can post your own ‘lost’ notice in the system. Log on to add a note to your missing dog or cat’s record. Then if someone finds your pet, they can activate the ‘Search Lost/Found Animals’ function from the top menu, entering the identification number from their collar or tag to find you.

Giving up your pet or moving?

Did you know that if you give up or sell your dog or cat, you need to transfer its registration to the new owner? You should also give the new owner its registration disc.

The transfer process is easy. First, you initiate a transfer in Dogs and Cats Online, where you’ll be given a transfer number. You then give that transfer number to the new owner as they’ll need to enter it into the system to complete the transfer into their name.

If you move house or change your phone number, don’t forget to update your new contact information. That way if your dog or cat does go missing, it has more chance of being reunited with you quickly.

For more information on Dogs and Cats Online or mandatory desexing, microchipping and breeder registrations, visit the website.

Local councils are responsible for dog and cat management within their communities and administer the registration process. For further information or assistance with registrations, please contact your local council.