Poultry, pigeons and other animals
Important information
Poultry includes fowls, peafowls, turkeys, ducks and other domestic fowl.
People living in a residential area can only have up to six poultry birds at their home.
Rules for keeping poultry
If you keep poultry, you need to make sure that:
- All poultry are kept in a proper coop, except when they're let out for exercise.
- Poultry are kept at least five metres away from any house openings on other properties.
- Poultry are kept at least one metre away from the side or back boundary of your property.
- Poultry are kept at least six metres away from any street, public building, commercial place, or food business.
- The area where poultry live must be kept clean, free from excrement, food waste, and any other matter likely to cause odour or attract rodents.
Roosters can't be kept in any residential area.
Customers living in a residential area can't keep more than 20 pigeons at their home.
Customers that keep pigeons need to make sure that:
- All pigeons are kept in a proper pigeon loft, except when they're let out for exercise
- The pigeon loft has no openings, including for ventilation, within six metres of any house on another property
- Pigeons are kept at least one metre away from the side or back boundary of your property.
- The pigeon loft has no openings, including for ventilation, within six metres of any street, public building, commercial place, or food business.
Large animals include alpacas, cows, horses, sheep, goats, deer, camels, lamas, emus, ostriches and kangaroos. Pigs are not included.
Rules for keeping large animals
- Customers can't keep a large animal unless they live in a rural or rural residential area.
- Animals must be kept according to the rules of the local planning scheme for that area.
- Customers living in a residential area with a density code of R2.5 (like the X-Kennel Zone lots in Canning Vale) must follow the local planning scheme rules for that zone
- Large animals must not come closer than 10 metres to a house.
A miniature pig is a pig that doesn't get taller than 700mm and doesn't weigh more than 100 kilograms when it's fully grown.
Rules for keeping miniature pigs
- Customers can't keep regular pigs in the City, only miniature pigs
- They need to apply to the City to keep one miniature pig on your property.
- The pig must be sterilised.
- They must show written proof that the pig is sterilised.
- The miniature pig is not to cause a nuisance to surrounding residents.They must have proof that the pig's vaccinations and treatments for leptospirosis, erysipelas, roundworm, and tapeworm are up to date.
How can someone apply to keep a miniature pig?
Write to the City to ask for permission and include details about the miniature pig (breed, size, weight, the plan to care for it, and proof of sterilisation and vaccinations).
For more information, the customer should contact the City on 1300 422 664.
Noise considerations
When deciding to keep birds, customers need to think about the type of bird and how noisy they are. To keep noise down, keep the birds as far away from your neighbours as possible.
The noise from the birds must follow the rules in the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997. Learn more on the Western Australian Legislation website.
Exemption application process
An owner or occupier of premises may apply in writing to the local government for an exemption from any of the requirements of clauses for keeping large animals, poultry or pigeons.
The City's Local Laws have special rules where customers can ask for an exemption (an approval) to keep more birds or have different distances than usual. Further information on the exemption process can be found in the City’s Animals, Nuisance, and Environment Local Law 2021.
As part of this process, the City might consult with the customer's neighbours who could be affected by their exemption request. They will have at least 14 days to share their thoughts with the City.
To get an application form, please call the City at 1300 422 664.
Issues with neighbours
Sometimes owners don't realise their animals are causing problems with their neighbours. To help with this, the City encourages everyone to talk to their neighbours about any issues before making a complaint. Visit the resolving disputes with neighbours page for more information.
Report
- To report an issue with poultry, pigeons, and other animals, click the Report button below.
- To allow the City to initiate a proper investigation, the following information must be provided when reporting the issue:
- Your contact details;
- Confirmed address/location of where the animal is kept;
- Description of the nuisance caused by the animal.
- Your personal information won't be shared with anyone without your permission.
- A City officer will handle the request within five working days.
- If you are unable to find the correct address when submitting the request, please contact us.
If the issue is about dogs, please visit the Nuisance Dogs page to report.
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