Read the full Animal Management Plan(PDF, 3MB)
After consulting with our community in 2024, receiving over 1000 responses, we’ve listened and have updated our Animal Management Plan to better suit our growing community.
The Shire of Broome Animal Management Plan aims to improve responsible pet ownership and clarify relevant regulations, including dog off-lead areas.
The Animal Management Plan seeks to achieve seven objectives:
- Improve awareness and understanding of responsible and caring behaviour toward animals.
- Increase adoption of responsible pet owner behaviours related to registrations, microchipping, desexing, obedience training, excessive barking, and animal excrement.
- Review animal access on local beaches to improve community safety and animal welfare.
- Review dog access in local reserves, parks, playgrounds and outdoor sports facilities.
- Improve the management of lost, stray and feral dogs and cats.
- Minimise domestic animal impact on local wildlife.
- Strengthen governance and enforcement.
A healthy and fit dog is a happy dog. The Shire provides open spaces for exercising dogs at Cable Beach, Gantheaume Point, Riddell Beach and Entrance Point. In addition, dog exercise areas are currently being trialled in parks around Broome.
Whilst in these exercise areas, dogs must be under control and the owner or handler must carry a leash.
Effective from May 2025, changes have been made to dog exercise areas based on community feedback received in the 2024 Animal Management Survey. The aim of these changes is to improve safety for people, dogs, and other animals.
On-Leash Areas: Dogs must be on a leash in public places, unless signage indicates otherwise.
Off-Leash Areas: In designated zones, dogs can go off-leash, but they must always stay under control and within your sight. For example, you need to be able to call your dog back to you if you need to. Look for advisory signs regarding on-leash and off-leash areas.
Clean Up: Always pick up after your dog and dispose of waste responsibly.
As of May 2025 dogs will be permitted off-leash between 5am and 8am in the area between the rocks and 2km north of the rocks. This area will be known as the Cable Beach North Dog Exercise Area.
At all other times, walking dogs will be prohibited between the rocks and 2km north of the rocks.
As of May 2025, the northern boundary of the Cable Beach South Dog Exercise area will be revised to start 450m south of the Broome Surf Life Saving Club access ramp. The southern boundary of the area will remain unchanged.
The most important change you need to be aware of is that, when approaching from the Broome Surf Life Saving Club carpark, dogs must be on-leash in the carpark, down the Surf Club access ramp, and on the beach for 450m until they reach the Cable Beach South Dog Exercise Area.
Effective from May 2025, the Vehicle Access Area at Gantheaume Point will change from an off-leash dog exercise area to an on-leash area.
The area beyond the Vehicle Access Area will still be an off-leash dog exercise area, except for within the Gantheaume Point Horse Exercise Area, where dogs will be required to be on-leash between the hours of 7am-10am.
The following parks allow dogs to be off-leash:
Broome North
- Tanami Park
- Hin Park
- Tomartino Park
Roebuck Estate
- Cygnet Park
- Sugar Glider Park
Sunset Park
- Kapang Park
- Maritana Park
- Sunset Park
Old Broome
- Durack Park
- Tolentino Park
Cable Beach
- Solway Park
- Sibosado Park
- Manggala
Whilst in these exercise areas, dogs must be under control and the owner and the handler must carry a leash.
Any other park, public open space, or conservation park not listed above, dogs must be on-leash at all times.
The park is made up of twenty land parcels extending from the Dampier Creek Intertidal Zone, around the Broome Peninsula and north Bilingurr within Broome. It is jointly managed with Yawuru Traditional Owners and the Shire of Broome.
Dogs are welcome throughout Minyirr Park but must always be kept on-leash at all times
Owning a dog can provide significant benefits to not only to you, but also the community in which you live. Responsible pet ownership is rewarding and the Shire encourages responsible pet ownership including:
When at home, ensure your dog is securely contained within your home or yard to protect both the community and your pet. A secure environment helps prevent pets from wandering and ensures their safety, as well as the safety of other members of the community, wildlife and other animals.
If found roaming, your dog it might be impounded by a member of the Ranger team, and you will need to contact the Shire Office during working hours or the Duty Ranger if after hours.
Fees are imposed on all impounded animals and are payable to the Shire before the release of the dog. Dogs can be released Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm.
Unidentified Dogs impounded for more than 72 hours may be re-homed or euthanised. Fees apply for impounded dogs, in addition to a daily sustenance fee.
Please note all dogs are required to be registered with the Shire prior to release.
All dogs in Western Australia over the age of three months are required to be registered under the Dog Act 1976. They are to be registered in the local authority area in which they are ordinarily kept.
All new dogs are to be microchipped for the purpose of identification and registration. Proof of microchipping must be provided at time of registration.
The dog registration year runs from November 1 to October 31 and is transferable between local Governments within WA at no cost.
A certificate of microchipping must be provided to enable us to register a new dog. The current fees for a Dog Registration under the Dog Act are:
1 Year 3 Years Lifetime
Unsterilised Dog / Female $50 $120 $250
Sterilised Dog / Female $20 $42.50 $100
One-year registration paid after May 31 (until October 31 that year) is half price.
To register a new dog to the Shire of Broome, please complete and pay via the New Dog Registration Form. To renew a dog registration, please visit the make a payment page.
Discounts apply for pensioners.
The Dog Act 1976 and Dog Regulations 1976 require that:
- All dogs being registered for the first time with the Shire must be microchipped prior to registration.
- Any dog that is transferred to another owner within the Shire must be microchipped.
- All dangerous dogs, including restricted breeds and commercial security dogs, must be microchipped.
When at home, ensure your cat is securely contained within your home or yard to protect both the community and your pet. A secure environment helps prevent pets from wandering and ensures their safety, as well as the safety of wildlife and other animals.
Cat Act 2011 - Western Australia Key requirements
Seizure of Cats
Cat Registration
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Mandatory for all cats aged 6 months and over.
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Must be registered with the local government where the cat is usually kept.
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Penalty: Up to $5000.
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Cat has been owned or the person resident in WA for less than 14 days, or if the cat is exempt by regulation.
Tags
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Registered cats must wear registration tags in public places.
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Penalty: Up to $5000.
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Defences include accident, another person's actions, or causes beyond control with due diligence shown.
Microchipping
Sterilisation
Pay your cat registration
New cat registration form
Change of ownership
Authorised officers (Rangers) have the power to seize cats in certain situations:
In Public Areas: An officer can seize a cat in a public place if they believe it is involved in a breach of the law.
On Private Property: A cat can be seized from private property if the property owner or occupier gives permission.
Alternatively, seizure can occur if the officer has a legal warrant.
The Shire only handles cats caught in Shire traps. If a person decides to trap cats in a private trap, they are responsible for the trapped cat.
These actions are in place to promote responsible pet ownership and to ensure compliance with local laws.
The Cat Act 2011 provides details regarding authorised cat seizures.
All cats in Western Australia over the age of six months are required to be registered under the Cat Act 2011. They are to be registered in the local government area in which they are ordinarily kept. The cat registration year runs from November 1 to October 31.
All cats must be sterilised and microchipped before registration. Proof of sterilisation and microchipping must be presented with the application.
A 50 per cent rebate is applicable for holders of a pension concession card.
The current fees for a Cat Registration under the Cat Act are:
1 Year 3 Years Lifetime
Sterilised Cat $20 $42.50 $100
Please see the Cat Act 2011 to find out more about registering and microchipping cats.
If a cat is already registered in another Shire in Western Australia, they can be transferred to Shire of Broome at no cost to the owner.
People wishing to breed their cats can apply to the Shire to do so. The fees for this are $100 per breeding cat (male or female).
A large animal includes a cow, horse, pig, sheep, goat, deer, camel, emu and the like.
Properties within the Broome Townsite must seek approval from the Shire to keep a large animal on the property by completing this online application form.
You must be able to demonstrate that you have adequate space and stabling on the property for the large animal. You must also be able to keep the premises clean and free from excrement, filth and food waste which may become injurious to health or attract rats, flies or other pests.