The short answer
The Queanbeyan pound is the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council Animal Management Facility, on Ellerton Drive and Old Sydney Road, Queanbeyan East. It opens weekdays from 10am to 12pm or 1pm to 4pm and Saturday mornings. Dogs cost $270 desexed or $450 not yet desexed, cats $185 or $420, and every adopted animal gets free NSW lifetime registration. Call 02 6285 6269 to book a visit.
What the Queanbeyan pound is
Queanbeyan sits in New South Wales, so its pound is run by Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council rather than the ACT Government. Council rangers bring in wandering and lost animals, and the facility holds them so owners can collect them. The council says it tries to rehome every animal that is not claimed, from sheep to kittens. It also helps with microchipping, registration and crisis accommodation. The details are on the council's find-animals page.
Opening hours and contact
- Where: Corner of Ellerton Drive and Old Sydney Road, Queanbeyan East.
- Weekdays: 10am to 12pm, or 1pm to 4pm.
- Saturdays: 10am to 12pm.
- Phone: 02 6285 6269, or the council on 1300 735 025, which also takes after-hours calls about dog attacks and wandering dogs.
- Payment: Card only.
How to adopt
Call the facility to make an appointment, or call the council and ask for an animal care officer. They take your details, send you an application form, and book a meet and greet if the match looks right. The pound also lists animals ready for adoption on its PetRescue page, often with a date when an unclaimed pet becomes available.
| Animal | Fee | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Dog, already desexed | $270 | Vaccination, microchip, worming, flea treatment |
| Dog, not yet desexed | $450 | The above, plus desexing at a local vet |
| Cat, already desexed | $185 | Vaccination, microchip, worming, flea treatment |
| Cat, not yet desexed | $420 | The above, plus desexing at a local vet |
If the animal is not yet desexed, you get a voucher to take it to a local vet for the operation. Every animal adopted from the pound gets free NSW lifetime registration.
Reclaiming a lost pet
Rangers post the animals they pick up on the council's find-animals page, each with a reference number, the date found and the street. Check it first, then call the facility or visit in opening hours. A microchip with current details is the fastest way home, so keep yours up to date. You can also post on the Canberra Lost Pet Database Facebook page.
Browse adoptable dogs around Canberra
See the dogs listed across Canberra and Queanbeyan right now.
All adoptable dogs in Canberra →Other places to adopt nearby
ACT Rescue & Foster takes dogs from the Queanbeyan and ACT pounds into foster homes, so a pound dog may turn up there. Across the border, RSPCA ACT at Weston and the ACT Government shelter at Symonston also rehome dogs. Our best dog rescues in Canberra guide compares all three, and the Canberra cat rescues guide covers cats.
NSW and ACT rules
In Queanbeyan, NSW law applies: a dog or cat must be microchipped by 12 weeks and registered for life on the NSW Pet Registry by 6 months, and the pound's adoption fee covers that registration. If you take the pet home to the ACT, you must also microchip and register it with the ACT Government after 28 days, and cats born after 1 July 2022 must be kept on your property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Queanbeyan pound?
The Queanbeyan pound is the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council Animal Management Facility, on the corner of Ellerton Drive and Old Sydney Road, Queanbeyan East. It is in New South Wales, just over the border from Canberra. You can phone the facility on 02 6285 6269.
When is the Queanbeyan pound open?
The facility is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 12pm or 1pm to 4pm, and on Saturdays from 10am to 12pm. If you cannot visit in those times, call 02 6285 6269 to make an appointment. Payment is by card only.
How much does it cost to adopt from the Queanbeyan pound?
A desexed dog costs $270 and a dog not yet desexed costs $450, which includes desexing at a local vet. A desexed cat costs $185 and a cat not yet desexed $420. Each fee includes vaccination, a microchip, worming and flea treatment, and every adopted animal gets free NSW lifetime registration.
How do I adopt a dog or cat from the Queanbeyan pound?
Call the facility to make an appointment, or call the council on 1300 735 025 to be put through to an animal care officer. They take your details, send you an application, and book a meet and greet if the match looks right. The pound also lists its animals on PetRescue.
My pet is missing in Queanbeyan. What should I do?
Check the council’s find-animals page, where rangers post the animals they pick up with a reference number, the date and the place found. Then call the facility on 02 6285 6269 or visit in opening hours. You can also post on the Canberra Lost Pet Database Facebook page.
Do ACT rules apply to a pet from the Queanbeyan pound?
The adoption itself follows NSW rules, so the pet gets NSW lifetime registration. If you live in the ACT, you must also microchip and register the pet with the ACT Government once it has lived there for 28 days, and cats born after 1 July 2022 must be contained to your property.