Proposed Welfare Standards for Dogs

Friday 11 October 2013

Comment is invited on proposed welfare standards for the care and management of dogs in Tasmania. The Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC) has developed the standards with a view to recommending their enforcement under the Animal Welfare Act 1993.

Advisory guidelines for breeding dogs were adopted last year. After considering feedback on the breeding guidelines and comments received as part of the Animal Welfare Act Review, as well as looking at models used in other States, the need for enforceable standards for all areas of dog keeping was identified.

Two sets of standards and guidelines are proposed. The first set would apply only to ‘domestic animal businesses’ which are defined in the standards as:

  • A dog breeding enterprise which has three or more fertile females other than working dogs or hunting dogs (as defined in the Dog Control Act 2000) and sells dogs (whether a profit is made or not); or
  • an animal shelter, pound or pet shop; or
  • a dog rearing, training or boarding enterprise that is run for profit and accommodates dogs overnight.

A second set of standards and guidelines is proposed to apply to all dogs that are not in the care or charge of a domestic animal business (so-called ‘private’ dogs). It is these standards and guidelines that would apply to most hunting dogs.

The standards and guidelines cover all aspects the care and management, including food and water, shelter, exercise, health care and breeding. It is proposed that they apply to all dogs, not just dogs involved in breeding.

To assist you in providing feedback, the AWAC has prepared a discussion paper that outlines the proposed standards and guidelines and poses some discussion questions. The discussion paper is available online at www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/dogs along with a submission template should you wish to use it.

All submissions will be treated as public documents and may be made available on the Department’s website, unless a specific request is made in writing to treat a submission as confidential, either in whole or in part. No personal details other than the name of individual submitters will be disclosed. All other personal contact details will be kept private and held by DPIPWE solely for the purposes of the development of the proposed legislation.

Comments must be received no later than 5pm 22 November 2013.

Submissions may be made by email or post to:

Executive Officer, AWAC

Email: – AnimalWelfare.Enquiries@dpipwe.tas.gov.au

Post: – Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

13 St Johns Avenue

New Town    TAS    7008