Page 1449 - Week 05 - Thursday, 13 May 2021
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automatically renew their registration. Where an owner’s details may have changed, there will be a short series of prompts helping them to update that information.
The digital dog database platform will also provide quick and easy options for changing a dog’s registration status, such as advising of a transfer of ownership, providing advice that the owner has moved outside of the ACT, desexing or microchipping status or if the dog has sadly passed away.
We know from a government-commissioned pet census in 2019 that more than a quarter of Canberra households own dogs. The annual registration system will benefit these owners and our broader community by delivering helpful guidance and reminders on when to review a dog’s registration details, making it quick and easy to comply with the legislation; reliable and fast return of a lost dog, as annual registration details will be more up to date than microchip information, reducing the likelihood that a dog will need to be impounded before being reunited with its owner; a more engaged and educated community of dog owners, promoting responsible pet ownership and making Canberra a safer and more pet-friendly city; an accurate database that includes up-to-date information on contact details of dog owners; and better data to support the delivery of more targeted services, education and evidence-based domestic animal policy.
I will now outline the key aspects of the bill and how these are central to establishing a simple and fit-for-purpose annual dog registration system. The bill amends section 9 of the act to convert the duration of registration from lifetime to 12 months. Registrations not renewed in time will be considered lapsed.
New sections 10 to 10B list the information required for registration renewals, stating that the registrar must notify an owner to renew their dog’s registration within a minimum of 14 days prior to the 12-month period ending. This section includes details for reminder notices such as requiring the registrar to inform the owner of the date their registration lapses and that the information requires checking. The registrar’s reminder notice must also give specific instructions relating to how the owner can comply with the notice and inform the owner of the penalty notice available if they choose not to comply.
The strict liability offence of 10 penalty units is for cases where an owner fails to comply with a notice, not for instances where they may not have received the notice. This penalty is the only one introduced in the bill, and it is essential to ensuring that owners understand their obligations to update their dogs’ registration when prompted so that those who do the right thing are not at a disadvantage. This will help to build and maintain accurate and comprehensive data over time.
New section 12A ensures that the registrar can contact an owner to request information regarding a dog that may impact on its registration status. This means that the registrar can properly enforce the existing provisions in the act, such as those dealing with desexing and microchipping, by allowing the registrar to engage with owners in the event that they may be breaching the act.
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