New laws to crack down on the cruel practice of puppy farming in Western Australia have passed State Parliament.
Puppy farming is the breeding of dogs in poor, inadequate conditions and can result in animals with long-term health and behavioural issues.
The new laws will help to ensure ethical standards for the breeding and sale of dogs, preventing neglect and reducing the number of dogs requiring rehoming.
More than 5,000 submissions were received during consultation on the legislation with overwhelming support in the community.
The legislation was a key election commitment of the McGowan Government in 2017, but was blocked by the opposition during the last term of Government.
Under the new laws a central registration system will be set up so that people can register their dogs online.
This will assist authorities to track dogs and rapidly identify puppy farming activities.
A central registration system will also replace the separate registration systems run by local governments, easing the regulatory burden and cutting red tape for councils and dog owners.
The new laws will include:
- mandatory sterilisation of dogs by two years of age unless exempt;
- a requirement for consumers to receive information at purchase about where dogs have come from;
- the transition of pet shops into adoption centres;
- a centralised registration system to hold information on dogs, cats and approved breeders, to assist with monitoring and enforcement; and
- the de-muzzling of pet greyhounds.
A public awareness campaign will be launched to inform the community on the new laws.
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan
“Puppy farming is a cruel practice that puts commercial gain over the welfare of dogs. Stamping that out has been a priority for this Government.
“Dogs are an important part of many WA families and we should be doing what we can to make sure they’re looked after and treated well.
“These laws mean we can trace a dog throughout its life and give people confidence their pet is coming from a reputable breeder that treats animals with care and dignity.
“We will also be transitioning all pet shops to adoption centres, helping to rehome displaced and abandoned dogs.”
As stated by Local Government Minister John Carey:
“It’s really sad to think we have people in our community that are happy to treat dogs so poorly for commercial gain.
“This legislation is going to help us identify dodgy or illegal breeders and shut down their operations.
“Having a centralised registration system is also going to ease the regulatory burden on local governments and dog owners, as people won’t have to re-register dogs if they move into a new council area.
“I am confident Greyhound owners will also be thrilled, with the new laws meaning pet Greyhounds will no longer have to be muzzled.”
