Dangerous and Restricted Dog Enclosure Requirements

Whilst at the property where a dangerous or restricted dog is normally kept, it must be confined within an approved enclosure.

The enclosure must meet the following safety requirements:

• be fully enclosed, constructed and maintained in such a way so that the dog is not able to dig or otherwise escape under, over or through the enclosure, and
• be constructed in such a way so that a person cannot have access to it without the assistance of an occupier of the property who is above the age of 16 years, and
• be designed to prevent children from having access to the enclosure, and
• not be located on the property in such a way so that people are required to pass through the enclosure to gain access to other parts of the property, and
• have a minimum height of 1.8 m and a minimum width of 1.8 m, and
• have an area of not less than 10 square metres for each dangerous or restricted dog kept on the property, and
• have walls that are fixed to the floor and constructed to be no more than 50 mm from the floor, and
• have walls, a fixed covering and a gate that are constructed of:
  • brick, timber, iron or similar solid materials, or
  • mesh that complies with subclause (4), or
  • a combination of the materials referred to in subparagraphs (i) and (ii), and
• have a floor that is constructed of sealed concrete and graded to fall to a drain for the removal of effluent, and
• provide a weatherproof sleeping area.

Any gate to the enclosure must:

• contain a self-closing and self-latching mechanism that enables the enclosure to be securely locked when the dog is in the enclosure, and
• be kept locked when the dog is in the enclosure, and
• display the warning sign “Warning Dangerous Dog/s”
• Mesh used in the construction of an enclosure must be:
• chain mesh manufactured from at least 3.15 mm wire to form a maximum mesh spacing of 50 mm, or
• weldmesh manufactured from at least 4 mm wire with a maximum mesh spacing of 50 mm.

Construction of the enclosure must be complete within 6 months of a restricted dog declaration and 3 months within a dangerous dog declaration. Until such time as the enclosure can be built the dog must be kept (in an enclosure) in such a way as to restrain the dog and prevent a child from having access to it.