How to Get Your Dog Back From a NSW Pound: Holding Periods, Fees and Steps

Quick answer: call your local council pound (and neighbouring councils) as soon as your dog goes missing. In NSW, a pound can sell or rehome an unclaimed dog after 14 days if the owner has been notified, or after 7 days if not — so up-to-date microchip details buy you time. To get your dog back you'll usually need to prove ownership, pay a release fee plus daily care fees, and make sure your dog is microchipped and registered on the NSW Pet Registry.

How do dogs end up in a NSW pound?

Council rangers can seize a dog that's roaming in public, and members of the public often hand in found dogs. Under the Companion Animals Act, anyone who finds a lost dog is expected to return it to the owner or deliver it to a council pound or vet; Bathurst Regional Council, for example, says finders must do this within 72 hours. Vets and shelters scan for a microchip and contact the registered owner.

How long will the pound keep my dog?

Section 64 of the Companion Animals Act 1998 sets the minimum periods before an unclaimed animal can be sold or destroyed:

Situation	Minimum holding period
Owner identified and notified (e.g. via microchip)	14 days after notice
No notice required (owner unknown)	7 days

Councils describe this in plain terms on their own pages: Blacktown and Gunnedah, for example, hold identified dogs for 14 days and unidentified dogs for 7. After that, many pounds assess dogs for rehoming. Don't wait — call early and keep calling.

What do I need to get my dog released?

Proof of ownership, such as your NSW Pet Registry record, microchip number, vet records or photos.
Microchip and registration: councils say impounded dogs must be microchipped and registered before release. If yours isn't, the pound can usually arrange it for a fee.
Payment for the release fee and daily maintenance (sustenance) fees.
Your ID, and check opening hours — some pounds release by appointment or on weekdays only.

How much does it cost?

Fees are set by each council and change each financial year. As one example, Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council listed these for 2024–25:

Release fee (first offence): $40
Release fee (again within 12 months): $60
Maintenance: $27 per day or part day
Microchipping an impounded animal: $30

Your council's fees may be higher or lower, and lifetime registration fees can apply if your dog isn't registered. Some councils have hardship policies that can reduce fees for eligible owners — ask.

Step-by-step: finding a dog that may be at a pound

Mark your dog as missing on the NSW Pet Registry and check your contact details are current.
Call your council pound and the councils next door. Dogs can travel across boundaries.
Check online lists: some councils publish impounded animals (Blacktown, for example, uses PetsOnline).
Call local vets, the RSPCA and rescue groups.
Check Find My if your dog wears an AirTag — a location at a vet or pound tells you where to call. See AirTag Lost Mode.
Visit in person if you can. Descriptions over the phone can miss your dog.

Northern Beaches locals: see our list of emergency vet, pound and RSPCA contacts.

How to avoid the pound altogether

Keep microchip and registry details current. In NSW, update address or contact changes within 14 days.
Put an ID tag with your mobile number on the collar, so a finder can call you instead of driving to the pound.
Fix fence gaps and gate latches. See dog-proofing your backyard.
Consider an AirTag on the collar as a backup. It isn't live GPS, but in suburbs a last detected location can get you there first.

FAQs

Can the pound give my dog away?

An unclaimed dog can be sold or rehomed after the holding period (14 days after the owner is notified, or 7 days if not). Contact the pound as soon as possible.

Do I have to pay to get my dog back?

Usually yes: a release fee and daily maintenance fees, plus microchipping and registration if your dog isn't already. Fees vary by council.

Can I get my dog back on the weekend?

It depends on the council. Some pounds release only on weekdays or by appointment, so call first.

What if my dog was found in another council area?

Contact that council's pound. The NSW Pet Registry links your dog's microchip to you wherever it's scanned in NSW.

Give a finder — or yourself — more ways to get your dog home. An AirTag in a Pawfetchers waterproof holder adds a backup to microchip and ID (AirTag sold separately).