Sunshine Coast Council is expected to continue its annual compliance checks on regulated dogs across the region.
The proposal will go before councillors at the Ordinary Meeting on September 17, in a report prepared by council’s Coordinator Response Services.
The report says there were 137 regulated dogs on council’s Regulated Dog Register as of August 19, each requiring an annual inspection. Officers are recommending approval of a new inspection program running from November 14, 2026, to November 13, 2027.
According to the report, 111 of the 137 dogs are classified as dangerous, while five are classified as menacing and entire (not desexed) and 21 as menacing and desexed.
Council’s report estimates it will collect $86,784 in regulated-dog registration fees during the 2026-27 financial year, with the fees calculated on a full cost-recovery basis.
The proposed program would allow authorised council officers to inspect properties where regulated dogs are being kept. The inspections would occur during the anniversary month of each dog’s declaration, on weekdays and during daylight hours.
If a breach is found, the report says council can issue a $2,590 on-the-spot fine or compliance notice. In some circumstances a regulated dog can be seized, while an officer can issue a destruction notice if they reasonably believe a dog is dangerous and the owner cannot control it. A destruction notice is mandatory where a regulated dog has seriously attacked a person or animal.
The maximum penalty for failing to comply with conditions for keeping a regulated dog is $25,905, according to the report.
Regulated dog owners are required to meet conditions under Queensland’s Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008. According to the report, these can include additional signage, specialised containment, use of a muzzle and desexing, depending on the dog.
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The report says 96 of the current regulated dogs, or 70 per cent, were declared following attacks on animals, while 41, or 30 per cent, were declared following attacks on people.
The proposed program is estimated to cost $67,815, with that cost to be funded through registration fees paid by regulated dog owners. The report puts the average cost of an inspection at $495, including administration, travel and the inspection itself. A follow-up inspection or further investigation is required in about 12.5 per cent of cases, based on previous program outcomes.
The report says the inspection program is intended to provide a proactive way of monitoring regulated dogs rather than relying solely on complaints from members of the community. It also says the approach allows officers to provide guidance and support to owners to help them meet the required conditions.
The report notes that one destruction order has been issued by council since legislative amendments in August 2024 requiring local governments to issue mandatory destruction orders for regulated dogs involved in serious attacks.
