Page 1378 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 6 April 2011
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More generally, the bill restricts the selling of cats and dogs except by limited, approved sellers. These are licensed breeders, animal welfare organisations and DAS. There are exemptions for people re-homing rescued animals or making a one-off sale of their own pet. However, to avoid loopholes, these sales are registered with the Domestic Animals Registrar.
The bill introduces other requirements on the selling of animals. Sellers will need to provide care information to all buyers of animals. This will help address impulse buying, as well as ensure that potential pet owners are fully aware of their obligations in caring for the animal and of the specific needs of particular species and breeds of animals. Consumers who are not aware of the realities of caring for an animal are much more likely to abandon that animal.
Stores will no longer be able to display all animals for sale in store windows, recognising that such displays encourage impulse buying, and it can of course be stressful for animals to be on display in windows. Nor will animals be able to be sold to minors.
The bill regulates the advertising environment. It limits advertising to authorised sellers or other sellers who have been given approval by the registrar. Again, there are exemptions for people re-homing rescued animals or making a one-off sale of their own pet. All advertisements will contain unique identifying information, such as the licence number of the breeder or the approval number provided by the registrar. This new regime will help prevent unlicensed backyard breeders advertising animals for sale. Unauthorised or suspicious sellers will be easily able to be discovered.
The bill introduces a very important new scheme for traceability of animals via the existing microchips. This will require the original breeders of animals to microchip the animals they breed and to record their own details in the chip. This will ensure that all cats and dogs can be traced back to their original breeder. This is important in identifying where animals came from. Obviously there are a number of unhealthy animals which obviously come from the same breeder, but no-one knows who that breeder is. This is a crucial change, and it is one that the RSPCA, as well as other welfare organisations, have cited as one of the key changes that will make a positive difference. With this new scheme, the ACT will again be a leader, and I expect that this scheme will help lead the way toward a national system of traceability.
The bill takes the important step of mandating desexing of dogs and cats at point of sale. Desexing is one of the very important factors in stopping animals ending up in pounds and in lowering euthanasia rates. Any cats and dogs which are sold lower than the legal age for desexing must be sold with a redeemable desexing voucher. It would be prudent for the government to assist these changes by providing assistance in establishing a network of veterinary surgeons to facilitate the provision of redeemable desexing vouchers.
Again the government can look to the Gold Coast, which has worked with vets to establish a network. I also support the government’s assistance for a low-cost, subsidised desexing program, something the Queensland government has provided funding for.
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