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Plumtree Town (Public Health) By-Laws, 2025

Plumtree's public health by-laws charge US$2 an animal to keep livestock and fine trade waste failures US$1 000, unsanitary buildings US$100 and unreported animal disease US$50.

Made under section 229 of the Urban Councils Act, these by-laws cover nuisance, buildings, sanitation, waste, pests and the keeping of animals in the Plumtree Town area.

They regulate the use of toilets, overcrowding, breeding of pests, accumulation of organic and non-organic matter, cleaning of stands, trade waste, refuse bin storage, burning of refuse, rats and vermin, rodent proofing, mosquito breeding and spitting in public, and set rules for keeping animals, pigs, poultry, rabbits and bees, tethering, diseased animals and seizure of animals found at large.

An owner of an animal with an infectious disease must notify the council and Veterinary Services immediately, prevent the animal being at large and take all necessary measures to stop the disease spreading. A police officer or authorised person may seize any animal found at large and send it to the nearest pound.

On fees, a permit to keep animals costs US$2 per animal; the application and renewal fees, the pig movement permit and the bee keeping permit are all printed as nil.

Penalties are US$1 000 for failing to provide suitable facilities for storing or pre-treating trade waste, US$100 for erecting unsanitary, dangerous or unhealthy structures, US$50 each for depositing improper articles in a public convenience and for failing to notify the council and Veterinary Services of an infectious disease, US$20 for most other offences — nuisance, sanitation failures, public urination, pests, accumulated waste, missing bin storage, burning refuse, rats, mosquitoes, keeping animals or bees without a permit, exceeding permitted numbers and over-long tethers — US$5 per person for overcrowding and US$5 for spitting in public. Failing to clean premises, to confine a diseased animal and to prevent disease spreading are printed as US$0,00.

What changed

  • A permit to keep animals costs US$2 per animal; other permits are printed as nil
  • Failing to provide trade waste storage or pre-treatment facilities carries US$1 000
  • Erecting unsanitary or dangerous structures carries US$100
  • Failing to report an infectious animal disease carries US$50
  • Most other public health offences carry US$20, with overcrowding at US$5 per person

Who this affects

  • Plumtree households keeping animals, poultry or bees
  • Businesses generating trade waste
  • Landlords and premises owners
  • Council health inspectors and veterinary officers

Plain-language summary — not legal advice. Always read the full instrument.