WHERE CAN I ESTABLISH A COMMERCIAL CATTERY OR KENNEL IN DUNGOG SHIRE?

In Dungog Shire, kennels and catteries and the breeding of cats and dogs are classified as "Intensive Agriculture". With the consent of Council, kennels and catteries may be established in areas in the Shire that are zoned:

• Rural 1(a)
• Rural Lifestyle 1(e)
• Business 4(a)
• Transition 9(a)

Within these zones, your development will need to provide a physical or acoustic buffer between the kennels / cattery and neighbouring residences.
You cannot establish a commercial breeding, training, kennel or cattery operation in a Residential 2(a) or Village 2(v) zone.

Broadly, a commercial operation is where cats or dogs are bred, trained, accommodated or nurtured for gain or reward.

For Cats, commercial includes the operation of boarding cattery and/or the keeping of cats for breeding, convalescence and/or sale.

For Dogs, commercial includes the operation of a boarding kennel and/or a breeding or training establishment and/or the keeping of dogs for breeding, convalescence, training, racing and/or sale.

Yes…
If you are building a cattery, kennel, yards or other related facilities you will need to apply for a Construction Certificate before you can commence any building works. See Construction Certificate Information Sheet.

Compliance
In building and operating your business you must also comply with Part 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (General) Regulation 2006 and relevant Animal Welfare Codes of Practice.

These codes include:

Before you start preparing plans, it is recommended that you have a Pre-lodgement meeting with Council's Economic Development Officer. At this meeting you will be asked about your proposal and the amount of construction and site works likely to be involved.
Council may provide advice on:
n The factors that you need to consider in designing your buildings and operating your business.
n The issues that you must address in your Development Application.
n Whether your proposal is 'Integrated Development', and requires approval from a State Government Agency.

Council will also advise you about when to apply for a Construction Certificate and how to go about this.
Please bring details of the property you have selected and your proposal to this meeting. Preliminary concept plans and some photos of the property and surrounding properties would also help.

In preparing your Development Application and accompanying Statement of Environmental Effects you need to answer all relevant questions on the Application form and provide detailed information on:

• Location of the property
• Site plan showing the layout of the buildings and structures and setback from the boundaries - you must provide an approved buffer between your operation and any neighbouring residence.
• How the animals are to be housed and exercised.
• Building plans showing what the building and structures will look like and the materials that they will be constructed from. Your plans must comply with the relevant Animal Welfare Codes of Practice, and for dogs, with the requirement of Dungog Shire DCP 1 Keeping of Dogs for Commercial Purposes.
• How you plan to screen the animals from view and contain them on the site.
• Drainage system, particularly how you will control potential pollutants.
• Access to the property and where staff, visitors and delivery vehicles will park.
  
• Any proposed signage.
  

• The activities you will be undertaking - eg breeding, boarding, training, grooming, sales etc.
  
• The size of the operation - the number of animals that you will have on the premises.
  
• The number of staff that will be employed and the maximum number of staff that will generally be on site at any one time.
  
• How many people are likely to visit your establishment and how much traffic will they generate.
  
• Hours of operation and any proposed night-time activities.
  

How you will prevent your operation from impacting on neighbouring properties and the environment.
The issues you must address are:

• Security - how the animals are to be contained on site so that they cannot escape.
  
• Noise - how you propose to comply with relevant noise regulations. Council may ask you to provide an Acoustic Engineers Report (mandatory if you have more than 4 dogs).
  
• Visual Impact - how your operation will be screened from your neighbours and any public road or space.
  
• Hygiene - how the design of the facility enables easy cleaning, the proposed cleaning regime and how you will control fleas and ticks, accommodate sick animals and control pests.
  
• Waste disposal - How faeces, contaminated water, chemicals, accumulations of hair/fur, dead animals etc are to be disposed of.
  
• Odours - how you propose to control odours.
  
• Lighting - the yard and security lighting proposed. Lighting must not impact on neighbours.
  

Compliance with Council's Development Control Plans
You must demonstrate that you comply with the requirements of:

• Council's Buffer Zone Development Control Plan (DCP), which requires a buffer between your development and any neighbouring residence.
  
• Council's Development Control Plan (DCP) 1 - Keeping of Dogs for Commercial Purposes (if you are proposing to keep dogs for commercial purposes). This DCP contains development guidelines that must be complied with in locating, designing and operating your business. Copies of these DCP's are available on Council's website: www.dungog.nsw.gov.au

• Part 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (General) Regulation 2006 and relevant Animal Welfare Codes of Practice.
  
• Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 - noise provisions.