Overview

The Victorian Government is developing a new Pet Exchange Register as part of its commitment to shut down puppy farms and reform pet shops. The new state-wide database will improve the traceability of dogs and cats in Victoria by:

  • Listing all advertisers of dogs or cats on a centralised database
  • Providing prospective dog or cat purchasers with assurance that their pet comes from a registered source
  • Enabling authorised officers of Animal Welfare Victoria, local councils and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Victoria to monitor all dog and cat breeders.

The Pet Exchange Register will impact a wide range of people, from domestic animal business owners to voluntarily enrolled foster carers, to Victorian pet owners. Anyone who wishes to advertise a dog (excluding Greyhound Racing Victoria greyhounds) or cat for sale, or to give away, will be required to obtain a source number from the Pet Exchange Register and list this number as part of their advertisement.

To successfully implement the Pet Exchange Register, changes to the Domestic Animals Regulations 2015 (DA Regulations) are required. Minor changes to clarify and improve the commercial dog breeding approval scheme, animal sale permits and microchips, and technical changes are also proposed. Read the proposed changes below.

The new Pet Exchange Register is one of a number of changes introduced by the Domestic Animals Amendment (Puppy Farms and Pet Shops) Act 2017 (PFPS Act). Other key changes in the PFPS Act include:

  • limits to the number of fertile female dogs a breeder can keep (a total of 10 breeding female dogs with only council approval)
  • a new Minister approved commercial dog breeder scheme for breeders to keep up to 50 fertile female dogs
  • pet shops only sourcing cats or dogs from approved sources (i.e. registered shelters, pounds or voluntarily enrolled foster carers)
  • new schemes for animal sales permits and bird sales
  • the voluntary foster carer scheme

The Pet Exchange Register is a key component of this change. It will be a state-wide database which will improve traceability of dogs and cats in Victoria.

Survey

Please complete the survey on the proposed requirements below.

Part 1 - Pet Exchange Register

The Domestic Animals Act 1994 (DA Act) and Domestic Animals Regulations 2015 prescribe what details a person must include in their application for a source number on the PER.

Additional details

The required details currently include personal and/or business details, details of dogs being bred (if relevant), and details of any previous breaches of animal welfare legislation.

1. Do you agree with the proposed additional details to be required by the DA Regulations?
Agree
Not Agree
Undecided
Not relevant to me
a. All breeders to include details on the PER of any known heritable defect. (refer to glossary for list of defects)
b. All recreational breeders and microbreeders to include their date of birth to ensure identity can be verified.
c. Council to include compliance and registration data for Domestic Animal Business records (which only those authorised can view).


Applications

When someone applies for a source number on the PER it must be accompanied by the prescribed fee and any other documentation as prescribed by the DA Regulations.

2. Do you agree with the proposed additions to the DA Regulations to prescribe the following?
Agree
Not agree
Undecided
Not relevant to me
a. Fee to apply for a source number on the PER to be set at 1.5 fee units (equivalent to $21.76 as at 1 July 2018).
b. Evidence to verify identify (e.g. a driver’s licence).


Refusal, revocation or suspension of a source number

The Secretary of the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) may refuse a source number to applicants for specific reasons. Reasons include: the applicant having been found guilty of certain offences, is subject to a banning order, or has given false or misleading information.

3. Do you agree with the following proposed reasons for refusal, revocation or suspension?
Agree
Not agree
Undecided
Not relevant to me
a. Identification cannot be verified.
b. A recreational breeder’s applicable organisation membership is no longer valid.

Part 2 - Microchips

All advertisers of dogs and cats will be required to obtain a source number from the PER from 1 July 2019.

Under the DA Act all dogs and cats must be implanted with a microchip before being sold or given away unless an exemption applies.

The DA Regulations specify the information that must be provided for the microchip record when microchipping a dog or cat.

4. Do you agree that the following information also be required for a record associated with a microchip?
Agree
Not agree
Undecided
Not relevant to me
a. The source number of the breeder must be included on the record when microchipping any animal born after 1 July 2020.


Microchip registries have several requirements placed on them to ensure the traceability of animals including dogs and cats in Victoria. The privacy of the details kept on registers is paramount, all records must be handled and stored in accordance with privacy requirements.

5. Do you agree with the following changes proposed to the requirements on microchip registries within the DA Regulations?
Agree
Not agree
Undecided
Not relevant to me
a. Allow a veterinarian to remove a microchip from an animal in cases where identity must be protected for personal safety reasons, or if ordered by a court.
b. When an animal is presented to have a second microchip implanted, the registry is to give a departmental authorised officer the information required to follow-up. (Instead of to the original microchip owner).
c. When a change of ownership or details application is made the registry must make those changes within seven business days.

Part 3 - Sale and breeding of animals

Pet shops

Pet Shops must keep detailed records of the animals they source and sell. This includes information identifying where the animal has been sourced from. Since 1 July 2018, pet shops have only been able to source dogs and cats from registered shelters, pounds and foster carers.

6. Do you agree with the proposed changes to the DA Regulations?
Agree
Not agree
Undecided
Not relevant to me
a. Include a requirement to keep the source number of the shelter, pound or foster carer the animal has been sourced from.
b. Remove the requirement to have breeders’ details recorded, as it is no longer relevant. Since pet shops cannot source dogs or cats from breeders.


Commercial dog breeding

Currently, commercial dog breeder applications must include a copy of a health management plan for each dog kept on the property. It has since been determined that certain/specific details of each dog are not required.

It is proposed the following changes are made in the DA Regulations to the application and reporting process for commercial dog breeders:

7. Do you agree with the following proposed changes to the DA Regulations to the application and reporting process for commercial dog breeders?
Agree
Not agree
Undecided
Not relevant to me
a. Remove the requirement for a health management plan for each dog and replace with a health management plan for each breed of dog and specified dog details for each breeding dog.
b. Replace the requirement for a whole of life plan in an approved commercial dog breeder’s annual report with specified dog details of each breeding dog kept on the property.
c. Expand reporting requirements to include any amendments made by businesses to their policies and procedures already submitted.

8. The specified details to be provided for each dog are to include

i. Name of dog

ii. Sex of dog

iii. Breed of dog

iv. Colour of dog

v. Status of dog (e.g. entire)

vi. Birth date

vii. Date acquired

viii. Date of last vaccination and worming

ix. Female dog details:

1. Date of mating and birthing

2. Mating male/s – name, microchip and breed of dog

3. Litter number

4. Number of live births

5. Date of breeding clearance certificate

6. Date of last general health check

x. Male dog details:

1. Date of mating

2. Mating female/s – name, microchip and breed of dog

3. Date of breeding clearance certificate

4. Date of last general health check

5. Retirement date

6. Method of disposal

a. Do you agree with the proposed required details?


Animal sale permit

Animal Sale Permits can have specific conditions attached. Conditions can be made mandatory in the DA regulations or on individual permits.

9. It is proposed the following conditions are prescribed in the DA Regulations:
Agree
Not agree
Undecided
a. The permit holder must ensure that an emergency evacuation plan is displayed at all times.
b. The permit holder or nominee must be able to produce the permit at the sale when requested by an authorised officer.

Part 4: General questions and about you

How do you interact with the regulations (tick all that apply) Required

Read the privacy statement here


How satisfied are you with the engagement process in terms of the opportunities to provide your views? Required