Page 1807 - Week 05 - Thursday, 16 May 2019
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enable our officers to respond swiftly and effectively, with the ability to issue a warning or a fine for more minor offences like kicking a dog or not providing a dog with access to water during the day. This is not an option under the current framework.
The bill also significantly increases the maximum penalties for the most serious animal welfare abuses, with jail terms of up to two years for cruelty and three years for aggravated cruelty offences. This escalating framework will allow us to respond quickly and proportionately to all levels of animal welfare abuses. Permanent animal ownership bans can also be imposed and a person can be prevented from caring for or controlling an animal in a way to prevent further abuse of animals.
The bill amends the governance framework for the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee so that the committee can provide advice to the Animal Welfare Authority on operational and policy matters as well as advise me, as the responsible minister, emphasising the role of this important committee in animal welfare and maintaining best practice.
This bill also sets out a high-level framework for regulating pet businesses, specifically pet shops and boarding kennels, to ensure the welfare of our pets so that we can stamp out illegal breeding and puppy farming, ensuring the responsible sourcing of pets. Pet businesses care for animals and our beloved pets, and our regulatory framework will help to ensure that animals are appropriately sourced and treated. Many other jurisdictions are also moving to regulate pet businesses, and this is considered best practice. This bill will help to support and promote pet shops doing the right thing and give pet owners and the general community confidence about the proper sourcing and treatment of pets. The system will be simple and easy to administer.
In addition to looking after our pets, the bill sets out a regulatory framework for assistance animals that provides for the recognition, regulation and rights of access of assistance or service animals in the territory that is consistent with ACT and commonwealth discrimination law. This will promote the rights of people with a disability who rely on assistance animals such as a guide dog, a hearing dog or an assistance dog.
The new framework provides processes for the accreditation of assistance animals, particularly assistance dogs, and also clarifies and expands the right of access for people with assistance animals. This will be based on an identification system and minimum training standards that promote the rights of people with a disability who rely on an assistance animal.
To support the new accreditation framework there are a range of offence provisions, and an infringement notice can be issued to a person who denies access to an accredited assistance animal. For example, restaurants and cafes and other public premises that deny entry to a person accompanied by an accredited assistance animal will face steep penalties under the new laws.
The assistance animal scheme has been developed with the assistance of key stakeholders, and I thank them for their involvement to date. I note that the pet
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