Animal management infringements

Animal Management Officers are authorised to request your details to investigate breaches under the Domestic Animal Act 1994. This may include dog attacks, off-leash dogs, pet registration and barking dogs. You may be issued with a penalty infringement for these offences.

If you receive an animal management infringement, you can:

Pay the fine

Pay the full amount by the due date.

Ask for more time to pay

Apply for more time to pay or to set up a payment plan.

Request an internal review

You can request an internal review by Council. You or a person acting for you can make the request. You can only make one request for an internal review for an infringement. This follows the Infringements Act 2006. Please review the grounds to appeal an infringement below.

Request online using My Port Phillip, or download and email the request form.

If you have received a parking infringement, refer to parking fines for details on how to contest a parking infringement. This information is for Animal infringements only.

Grounds to appeal an infringement

Exceptional circumstances

Please provide details of the exceptional circumstances, where you have committed the offence due to unforeseen or unpreventable circumstances such as medical emergencies.

Contrary to law

Please provide the reasons why you consider the decision to issue you with an infringement unlawful such as the infringement is not valid.

Special circumstances

Special circumstances includes:

  • a mental or intellectual disability, disorder, disease or illness
  • serious addiction to drugs, alcohol or volatile substance
  • homelessness
  • family violence within the meaning of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008.
    You must provide evidence, such as a letter, report or statement, from one of the following parties to support your application:
    • a case worker, case manager or social worker
    • a general practitioner, psychiatrist or psychologist
    • an accredited drug treatment agency.

Evidence from a practitioner or case worker should include the following information:

  • practitioner or case worker's qualification and relationship with you, including the period of engagement
  • nature, severity and duration of your condition or your circumstances:
    • whether you were suffering from the relevant condition or circumstances at the time the offence was committed
    • whether, in the opinion of the practitioner or case worker, it is more likely than not that your condition or circumstances resulted in your inability to understand or control the conduct constituting the offence.

Mistaken identity

Please provide an explanation of why you rely on the ground of mistake of identity including evidence such as a copy of your driver’s licence.

Person unaware of fine

An application made on the ground of 'person unaware' must:

  • be made within 14 days of you becoming aware of the infringement notice. You can evidence the date that you became aware of the infringement notice by executing a statutory declaration
  • state the grounds on which the decision should be reviewed
  • provide your current address for service.

Proceed to court

You can elect to have the matter heard and determined in a court at anytime before an enforcement order is made. If the person fined is a child, the matter will be heard in the children's court. If you choose to have your matter determined in court, you must immediately notify the Animal Management Team at pets@portphillip.vic.gov.au