Pet Lovers

 

Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008 to affect all pet owners! ~ By Kylie Maxwell

 

The Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008 (the “Act”) aims to provide a consistent State-wide regulatory framework for the effective management if cats and dogs. The Act comes in response to growing community concern in regard to the number of unwanted cats and dogs euthanased each year in Queensland. The majority of the Act’s provisions will take effect from 1 July 2009, however the Chief Executive will be required to keep and maintain a regulated dog register from a date which to be fixed by proclamation.

The effective management of cats and dogs will be achieved, as stated in the Act’s explanatory notes, by:

• Mandatory registeration  and microchipping of cats and dogs and ear tattooing of desexed cats and dogs
• Identifying and controlling regulated dogs (dangerous, menacing and restricted dogs) to minimise the risk to community health and safety, balanced with the rights of the individual; and
• Enhancing the local governments’ monitoring and enforcement powers.

Owners of cats and dogs will be required to have their animals implanted with a Permanent Identification Device (PID), for example a microchip, before the animals reach 12 weeks of age or at transfer of ownership.

Owners will also be required to register all cats and dogs 12 weeks or older within 14 days of starting to keep the animal. Failure to do so may incur penalty of $ 2,000. For animals owned prior to 1 July 2009 which are not registered, owners in a SEQ local government area will have 3 months following the commencement date to register their animals.
The Act will require mandatory ear tattooing of desexed animals at the time of desexing (under veterinary supervision).

Certain restrictions will also be put in place in regard to menacing, dangerous and restricted dogs. Existing local government powers to prohibit keeping certain dogs (purebred/ crossbreeds) in their local government areas will not be impacted by this legislation. The pre-existing conditions under the Local Government Act 1993 for keeping regulated dogs are maintained by the Act and owners of dangerous and restricted dogs will be required to meet  the following additional conditions:

• Compulsory desexing within three months of a dog being declared restricted / dangerous or a restricted dog permit being issued;
• Muzzling the dog when in a public place; and
• The use of prescribed collars and tags identifying the dog as dangerous or restricted.

We expect there will be a general public education campaign prior to these requirements coming into force.

 

Source:  Flower and Hart Lawyers news, issue no. 29, summer 2009

 

 

Disclaimer: This news article has been prepared to provide general information only and is not intended to be a complete or definitive statement of the law on the matter, nor does it constitute legal advice.

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