When a dog you are walking bites a passer-by or knocks over a cyclist, the first question is not whether you have insurance. It is who is legally responsible. In Australia the answer depends on where you are, what the local council requires, and who had possession of the dog at the time. Insurance then decides who pays.
This guide sets out the legal responsibility rules, what council permits look like in practice, and how public liability and animal-in-care cover fit together. Every figure and rule below is tied to a specific jurisdiction and a check date of 15 September 2026 unless stated otherwise.
Who is legally responsible when a walked dog causes injury or damage
Responsibility is not automatic and it is not always the owner. In South Australia, the Law Handbook published by the Legal Services Commission of South Australia (last revised 18 November 2025) explains that under section 66 of the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 (SA), the owner or the person into whose possession a dog has been delivered is responsible for any injury, loss or damage caused by the dog.
That wording matters for anyone running a dog walking or pet sitting business. If a dog has been delivered into your possession for a walk, you can be the responsible person under that provision, not just the owner who hired you.
The same source notes two further points that are easy to miss. A dog attack is not necessarily required for liability to arise under the SA Act, so damage or injury short of a bite can still trigger responsibility. Defences exist, including provocation, or the dog being in someone else’s possession without the owner’s consent.
Victoria approaches control differently. The City of Port Phillip states that walkers are responsible for the dogs in their care even if the dogs do not belong to them, and must keep dogs under effective control as defined in a Council Order under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 (Vic). That is a control obligation, not a fault test, and it applies while the dog is with you.
Because these rules sit in state and territory legislation and local orders, the practical answer to who is liable is: check the law and council rules for the state where the incident happens, not where you live.
What council permit rules look like for dog walkers
Permits are a local government matter, so requirements vary by council. The City of Port Phillip in Victoria is a useful worked example because its rules are published in detail.
Port Phillip requires a dog walking permit for anyone walking four or more dogs at a time, and penalties can apply for doing so without a permit. Permit conditions allow a maximum of eight dogs walked per person, and a maximum of twelve dogs in total regardless of how many handlers are present.
The council has extended the fee-free period for dog walking permits until 30 June 2027. After that date, permits move to a paid annual renewal, with the fee still to be confirmed. If you are budgeting for a walking business, that is a known future cost with an unknown amount, and it is worth checking the council page again closer to the date.
Two practical implications follow. First, the four-dog threshold means a solo walker with three regular clients may sit outside the permit system in Port Phillip, while a walker with four or more does not. Second, the eight-per-person and twelve-in-total caps mean adding a second handler does not remove the overall ceiling.
Other councils publish their own thresholds, conditions and fees, and some may not use a permit system at all. The only reliable method is to search your local council’s website for its dog walker or animal management pages, or ask the council directly what applies to your activity and suburb.
How public liability insurance for dog walking fits
Public liability insurance responds when your business causes someone else’s death, injury or property damage through negligence. According to business.gov.au (checked 15 September 2026), public liability cover can also extend to emotional distress or a recognised psychiatric illness.
For a dog walking or pet sitting business, that is the cover that stands behind a claim from a member of the public. Examples include a dog pulling free and causing a cyclist to fall, a dog knocking over a pedestrian, or a dog damaging a neighbour’s property while being collected.
There is a common assumption that household insurance solves this. The SA Law Handbook notes that most household insurance policies provide public liability cover for injuries caused by dogs on the owner’s property, and that legal liability insurance can protect dog owners wherever the injury occurs. The key limitation is location and purpose. A policy built around a private household is not designed for a commercial walking or sitting operation, and a claim arising during paid work may fall outside it.
That is why the question is not only whether cover exists, but whose policy responds. If you are being paid to walk or sit, the exposure sits with your business, and the owner’s household policy may not be the answer.
Animal care cover and the gaps public liability leaves
Public liability deals with harm to other people and their property. It does not deal with the animal itself. If a dog in your care is injured, escapes, falls ill or dies while with you, that is a different loss, and it is usually addressed by animal care or care, custody and control cover.
This distinction matters for pet sitters in particular. A sitter may have the dog in their home or the client’s home for extended periods, which increases the chance of an animal-related incident that has nothing to do with a member of the public.
Before buying any policy, business.gov.au advises reading the Product Disclosure Statement for exclusions and definitions, which are often shown in bold or capital letters. For dog walking and pet sitting, the definitions worth locating are the ones covering care, custody and control, the animals you are responsible for, and any exclusion for commercial animal handling.
Sole traders should also note a separate gap. business.gov.au states that a sole trader is not covered by workers compensation and needs their own personal accident and sickness or income insurance. If you are injured while walking a dog and you cannot work, public liability will not replace your income.
How to verify the rules that apply to you
Verification here means going to the primary source for each layer, because the layers are set by different bodies.
For legal responsibility, the relevant state or territory legislation and any council order made under it are the starting point. In South Australia, the Law Handbook summary of section 66 of the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 (SA) is a readable entry point, but the Act itself governs. In Victoria, the Domestic Animals Act 1994 (Vic) and the council order defining effective control are the operative instruments.
For permits, the local council is the only authority. Check the council website for dog walking permit pages, confirm the dog threshold that triggers a permit, the per-person and total dog limits, and the current fee position. Port Phillip’s fee-free period runs until 30 June 2027, after which the fee is to be confirmed, so a fee figure quoted today may not hold later.
For insurance, the Product Disclosure Statement is the document that defines what is and is not covered. business.gov.au’s guidance on business insurance types and on managing insurance is a general starting point, but the PDS for the specific policy is what applies to a claim.
If you need an answer about your own situation, a licensed adviser or broker can review your activities, your state, and the policies on offer against the actual exclusions. Where a rule depends on a current council or government position, treat the latest official version as the one that applies.
Common questions
Does a dog walking business need public liability insurance in Australia?
There is no single national rule that names dog walking. The practical driver is exposure: if you are paid to handle dogs in public places, a claim from an injured member of the public lands on your business. business.gov.au describes public liability as covering death, injury or property damage caused by your negligence, which is exactly the shape of the risk. Whether it is legally compulsory depends on your structure, your state, and any contract or council condition you operate under.
Is the dog owner or the walker liable if the dog bites someone?
It depends on the jurisdiction and the facts. In South Australia, section 66 of the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 (SA) places responsibility on the owner or the person into whose possession the dog has been delivered, so a walker holding the dog can be the responsible person. In Victoria, Port Phillip states walkers are responsible for dogs in their care even if the dogs do not belong to them, and must keep them under effective control. Defences such as provocation may apply.
Does the owner’s home insurance cover a professional dog walker?
The SA Law Handbook notes that most household policies provide public liability cover for injuries caused by dogs on the owner’s property, and that legal liability insurance can protect owners wherever the injury occurs. That is cover written around a household, not a commercial walking service. A paid walker should not assume the client’s home policy will respond to a claim arising from their business activity.
How many dogs can one person walk in Australia?
There is no national number. It is set locally. In the City of Port Phillip, a permit is required for walking four or more dogs at a time, permit conditions allow a maximum of eight dogs per person, and a maximum of twelve dogs in total regardless of the number of handlers. Other councils set their own thresholds, so check the council where you operate.
What is the difference between public liability and animal care cover?
Public liability responds to injury, death or property damage suffered by other people because of your negligence, and may extend to emotional distress or recognised psychiatric illness. Animal care cover responds to loss involving the animal itself, such as injury, escape or death while in your care. A walking or sitting business may need both, and the PDS definitions and exclusions decide where one ends and the other begins.
References
- City of Port Phillip《Dog walkers》（2026）
- Legal Services Commission of South Australia《SA Law Handbook: Dogs and liability for injury》（2025）
- business.gov.au《Types of business insurance》（2026）
- business.gov.au《Manage your business insurance》（2026）
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