If you are a professional dog walker operating within Yarra on Council land or a public space, it is essential to understand and comply with our General Local Law.
Under Council's Local Law, clause 20, a person must not, without a permit conduct a commercial enterprise of exercising dogs or any other animals on any Council land or public space.
If you are a professional dog walker operating within Yarra on Council land or a public space, it is essential to understand and comply with our General Local Law to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both animals and the community.
This page outlines the key requirements for commercial dog walking activities and how to obtain a permit.
When undertaking professional dog walking in Yarra you must:
- have a permit and carry it with them while conducting that business and produce it on the request of an authorised officer
- maintain effective control of dogs or other animals at all times
- comply with the Council order [ PDF, 296.32 KB] and
- must not have more than 4 dogs or other animals exercised or walked by a person at any one time.
Step 1 - Read our Council order
The Council order, created under Domestic Animals Act 1994, establishes rules for keeping both cats and dogs within the Yarra City Council.
Even as a professional dog walker, you need to ensure you adhere to:
- Where dogs must be kept on a leash at all times,
- Where dogs are allowed to be taken off leash as a commercial dog walker,
- Where dogs are prohibited from being and
- Where some off leash areas have certain specific conditions.
Point 7 of our Council order, states:
Commercial Dog Walkers Commercial dog walkers must keep all dogs in their care under effective control by means of a Leash which is always attached to the dog and held by the person except when in a Designated Reserve which is fenced off so that a dog cannot leave the Designated Reserve.
Step 2 - Submit an Enquiry
Submit an online enquiry, including the documentation below and our Compliance Administration Team will contact you.
What documents and information to include
As part of your application, you will need to supply some documents.
We will need a current copy of your public liability insurance, it will need to have:
- a minimum of $20 million coverage
- note Yarra Council as an interested party and
- expiry date
To ensure we have a clear understanding of dog walking services operating in Yarra, you will need to let us know how many dog walkers your business may have operating at any one time.
You will need to let us know the dates and times the business will be walking dogs in Yarra where possible.
We will need a current copy of your public liability insurance, it will need to have:
- a minimum of $20 million coverage
- note Yarra Council as an interested party and
- expiry date
To ensure we have a clear understanding of dog walking services operating in Yarra, you will need to let us know how many dog walkers your business may have operating at any one time.
You will need to let us know the dates and times the business will be walking dogs in Yarra where possible.
Step 3 - Payment and approval
Once your application has been processed and approved we will issue an invoice. The cost of a commercial dog walking permit is $153 this includes the application fee and remainder of the permit period.
Permits are issued with an expiry date of 10 April each year.
Once payment is received, we will process your permit and you can commence operating in Yarra. Your permit will list a number of conditions, please ensure that you adhere to these at all times.