The short answer
You can adopt an Australian Terrier in Perth, but expect a genuine terrier: small, hardy, bold and busy, with a prey drive, a bit of digging and some barking. Purebreds are uncommon in rescue and easily confused with other small terriers, so set alerts across Dogs' Refuge Home WA at Shenton Park, RSPCA WA at Malaga, the foster-based SAFE Perth and SAFE, and PetRescue, and search broadly. Adoption runs about $600 for an adult, all-inclusive, against well into four figures from a breeder, and the breed is not restricted in WA. Give it company, early training and a daily outlet and you have a devoted, famously long-lived companion.
Why Australian Terriers end up in Perth rescue
Understanding why a dog lands in rescue tells you whether the breed is right for you, and with the Australian Terrier the story is mostly about underestimating the terrier.
A small dog with a big terrier attitude. The Aussie Terrier is compact, but it is a true working terrier bred to hunt vermin and guard the homestead, so it is bold, alert, energetic and often vocal, with a real prey drive and a taste for digging. Owners who pictured a placid small companion can be caught out, and a bored, under-exercised one will entertain itself in the garden.
Overbreeding. Small breeds are overbred by backyard and commercial breeders chasing demand, so backyard-bred Australian Terriers and terrier crosses, sometimes under-socialised, reach rescue.
Life changes. The Australian Terrier is a notably hardy, long-lived breed, so many reach rescue through no fault of their own when an elderly owner dies or moves into care, or a family's circumstances change. These are often well-mannered dogs simply needing a new home for years to come.
What this means for you. An Australian Terrier in rescue is rarely a problem dog. It is usually a sound, spirited little terrier whose energy or an owner's life change landed it in care. If you want a small, lively, robust companion and are ready for a terrier rather than a cushion, you are looking at a wonderful adoption.
Where to adopt an Australian Terrier in Perth
Because Australian Terriers are uncommon in rescue and easily confused with other small terriers, search broadly and set a wide alert net. For a fuller directory, see our Perth adoption resources hub.
1. Dogs' Refuge Home WA
A dogs-only, not-for-profit shelter at Shenton Park in inner Perth, running since 1935. It rehomes plenty of small dogs and terrier crosses, each one desexed, vaccinated, microchipped and vet-checked. Browse the current dogs at dogshome.org.au.
2. RSPCA Western Australia
The state welfare body, with its Animal Care Centre at 108 Malaga Drive in Malaga, northern Perth. Adoptions run by appointment, and every animal is health- and behaviour-checked before it is listed, which gives you an honest read on energy and temperament before you commit. Apply at rspcawa.org.au.
3. SAFE Perth and SAFE
Both run a foster-care model rather than a central metro shelter, so a small terrier lives in a home while it waits. Because the dog lives in foster, the notes on its energy, prey drive, barking and behaviour with people and other animals tend to be detailed and honest. SAFE Perth lists at safeperth.com.au and SAFE at safe.org.au. Both operate under the SAFE banner in WA, so confirm which organisation holds a given dog.
4. PetRescue
A national aggregator that lists Australian Terriers and small-terrier crosses from many smaller WA rescue groups in one searchable place, at petrescue.com.au. It is the fastest way to scan many WA rescues at once rather than checking each site in turn.
Be wary of any group that asks for money before you have confirmed a real address, a current adoptable-dog list and registered status. Browse the current Australian Terriers and crosses on the Perth Australian Terrier listings.
What an Australian Terrier costs: adopt versus buy
Adoption is far cheaper at the outset. A rescue fee for an adult Australian Terrier or terrier cross through a Perth rescue commonly runs about $600, and the rare puppy usually more, and that fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check. An Australian Terrier from a breeder in WA, by contrast, typically runs well into four figures, with none of that vet work done yet. So adopting is many times cheaper up front, and the dog arrives already vetted.
The ongoing costs are small-dog sized, but budget for occasional grooming of the harsh coat, which needs tidying and hand-stripping or clipping rather than heavy maintenance, good dental care, and pet insurance taken out while the dog is young.
Council registration is a separate legal step, and the fee is set by your local council rather than a single Perth figure. Under the Dog Act 1976, a dog must be microchipped by 3 months and before it changes hands, and registered with your local council from 3 months. A desexed and microchipped dog pays a substantially reduced registration fee. Check the WA Government dog ownership hub and your own council for the current amount.
Australian Terriers are not restricted in WA
The Australian Terrier is not a restricted breed in Western Australia. Under the Dog Act 1976, only five breeds are restricted: the American Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario. An Australian Terrier is legal to own and to rehome normally. It simply needs to be microchipped by 3 months of age and before it changes hands, and registered with your local council from 3 months, with a substantially reduced fee for a desexed and microchipped dog. The dangerous-dog framework under the Dog Act applies to any breed by behaviour, but there is nothing breed-specific to worry about with an Australian Terrier.
Browse adoptable Australian Terriers in Perth
Aussie Terriers are uncommon in rescue and easily mistaken for other small terriers, so set a wide alert and browse live WA listings so you hear the moment one comes in.
See Available Australian Terriers →If you have been searching “Australian Terrier for sale Perth”
Plenty of people arrive here after searching for an Australian Terrier to buy, and the for-sale listings outnumber the rescue ones. But small terriers are overbred and a common target for backyard breeders and scams. A cheap puppy, a deposit request for a dog you have not met in person, or a seller who will not show you both healthy parents is a warning sign rather than a bargain, and Scamwatch has documented deposit scams for puppies that do not exist.
WA does not run a Pet Exchange Register or a breeder supply-number scheme, so there is no source number to look up here. The practical safeguard is the microchip: a dog sold or given away legally in WA must be microchipped and registered, so ask to see the microchip paperwork before you pay anything. Adoption sidesteps much of that: it costs a fraction of a breeder price and gives a vet-checked dog a home. The RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase has good general guidance on choosing a dog and avoiding poorly bred puppies.
Living with a home-grown terrier in Perth
The Australian Terrier is one of the few breeds developed in Australia, bred on rural properties to control vermin and snakes and to be a hardy, all-weather companion, and that heritage shows. It is tough, adaptable and devoted, happy in a house or a unit as long as it gets its daily walk, some play and a bit of mental work. Give it early, consistent training to manage the barking and the prey drive, and it is a biddable, affectionate dog; leave it bored in a yard and the digging and noise appear.
The harsh, weatherproof coat is low-maintenance by terrier standards, needing a brush and the occasional tidy rather than constant grooming, and many pet owners keep it in an easy clip. Keep the dog cool and provide shade and water on hot Perth days, stay on top of dental care as with any small breed, and give the prey drive a safe outlet. Do that and you have a robust, long-lived mate that earns its place as one of Australia's own breeds.
Adult or puppy, and how to choose
For almost every adopter an assessed adult is the more responsible choice, and Australian Terrier puppies are rare in rescue anyway. An adult has a known temperament the rescue can describe, an established size, often some training and house-training in place, and a lower adoption fee. The rescue can tell you how the dog is with people, children, cats and other dogs, and whether it is a barker or a digger, so you take on the actual dog rather than a set of hopes.
When you choose, read the foster carer's notes closely. They will tell you how a specific dog does with children and other pets, how strong the prey drive is, and how vocal it is, which predicts the fit far better than the breed average. For more places to start your search, see our guide to the best dog rescues in Perth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I adopt an Australian Terrier near me in Perth?
Start with the main Perth shelters and rescues: Dogs' Refuge Home WA at Shenton Park, RSPCA WA at Malaga, and the foster-based rescues SAFE Perth and SAFE. Purebred Australian Terriers are uncommon in rescue and are easily confused with other small rough-coated terriers and terrier crosses, so search broadly and set listing alerts across every rescue you would consider. PetRescue lists dogs from many smaller WA rescues, and small-dog and terrier foster networks sometimes carry them. Be application-ready and never send money before you have confirmed a real, registered rescue.
Why do Australian Terriers end up in rescue?
Usually because a genuine terrier was taken on as if it were a low-key small dog. The Australian Terrier is small but spirited, bold and busy, with a real prey drive and a love of digging and barking at anything that moves. Owners expecting a quiet companion can be caught out by the energy and the terrier attitude, and a bored one makes its own fun in the garden. Small dogs are also overbred, so backyard-bred Australian Terriers and crosses reach rescue, and many others arrive through no fault of their own after an owner's death, illness or move, since this is a long-lived, hardy breed.
How much does it cost to adopt an Australian Terrier versus buy one?
Adoption is far cheaper up front. A rescue fee for an adult Australian Terrier or terrier cross through a Perth rescue commonly runs about $600, and the rare puppy usually more, and that fee already includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check. An Australian Terrier from a breeder in WA, by contrast, typically runs well into four figures, with none of that vet work done yet. The ongoing costs are small-dog sized, but budget for occasional grooming of the harsh coat, good dental care, and pet insurance taken out while the dog is young.
Are Australian Terriers restricted in Western Australia?
No. The Australian Terrier is not a restricted breed in WA. The five restricted breeds under the Dog Act 1976 are the American Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario. An Australian Terrier is legal to own and to rehome normally. Like any WA dog it needs to be microchipped by 3 months of age and before it changes hands, and registered with your local council from 3 months, with a substantially reduced fee for a desexed and microchipped dog.
Is the Australian Terrier the same as the Silky Terrier?
No, they are two separate home-grown Australian breeds, though they share ancestry. The Australian Terrier is a sturdy, rough-coated working terrier with a harsh weatherproof coat, bred to deal with vermin and snakes on rural properties. The Australian Silky Terrier is a finer, toy companion breed with a long, flat, silky coat. In rescue they can be confused with each other and with other small terriers, so if you are set on one, ask the rescue and search for both names.
Is an Australian Terrier a good first dog?
It can be a good first dog for someone who wants a small, hardy, lively companion and understands they are getting a real terrier, not a lap dog. Expect energy, boldness, some barking, a prey drive and a bit of digging, all manageable with early training and enough exercise and play. The breed is affectionate, devoted and famously robust and long-lived. It suits an active owner or family who will give it company, training and a daily outlet, and it is small enough for house or unit living.
Are Australian Terriers good with children and other pets?
With early socialisation and sensible introductions, generally yes. A well-raised Australian Terrier is typically affectionate and playful with its family and can be good with considerate children, being sturdier than many toy breeds. The terrier prey drive means careful introductions to cats and small animals, and some can be bold or scrappy with strange dogs, which training manages. A foster carer who has lived with the individual dog can tell you exactly how it is with children, cats and other dogs, which matters more than the breed average.
Is it safe to buy an Australian Terrier online?
Be careful. Small terriers are overbred and a common target for backyard breeders and scams. A cheap puppy, a deposit request for a dog you have not met in person, or a seller who will not show you both healthy parents is a warning sign rather than a bargain. Scamwatch has documented deposit scams for puppies that do not exist. WA has no breeder source-number register, so ask to see the microchip paperwork before you commit any money, since a dog sold or given away legally in WA must be microchipped and registered. Adoption sidesteps most of that risk.
Keep reading
Adoptable Australian Terriers in Perth
Live listings of Australian Terriers and crosses across Perth and WA rescues.
Best Dog Rescues in Perth
The verified shelters and foster rescues to set alerts with across Perth and WA.
Registering a Dog in Perth
Council registration, microchipping and the WA Dog Act rules for a new dog.
All Dogs for Adoption in Perth
Every adoptable dog we track across Perth and WA shelters and rescues, updated regularly.