Premier

Getting It Done: Ending Puppy Farming Once And For All

15 December 2017

The Andrews Labor Government has made history, with Victoria becoming the first state in Australia to ban puppy farming once and for all.

Puppy farms in Victoria will be a thing of the past with the Labor Government’s Domestic Animals Amendment (Puppy Farms and Pet Shops) Bill 2016 successfully passing Parliament.

The amended Bill was introduced following a Parliamentary Inquiry and feedback from the public, veterinary groups, animal welfare organisations, rescue organisations, local councils, dog and cat breeders, pet shops and representative groups.

The Bill delivers on the Government’s election commitment to stamp out puppy farms, reform pet shops in Victoria and improve traceability of online sales of cats and dogs.

Under the new legislation, the number of fertile females dogs that a breeder can own and register with local council will be capped at 10. Only those meeting additional requirements will be approved by the Minister for Agriculture to keep an absolute maximum of 50 fertile female dogs.

Breeding members of cat or dog applicable organisations, such as Dogs Victoria, with 10 or less breeding females will be recognised as recreational breeders and can continue to abide by their organisation’s Code of Ethics (or equivalent).

Illegal breeders will have nowhere to hide and will no longer be able to funnel puppies and kittens through pet shops to unsuspecting members of the public.

As of 1 July 2018, pet shops will only be able to sell from approved sources (shelters, pounds or voluntarily registered foster carers) and there will be no more puppies in pet shop windows.

Traceability of cats and dogs will be improved significantly through the establishment of the Pet Exchange Register. Breeders, foster carers and members of the public advertising a cat or dog will enrol on the Register.

The Government is continuing to work with key stakeholders to deliver these groundbreaking reforms.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford

“We said we would ban puppy farming once and for all and we have, delivering on a key election commitment of the Andrews Labor Government.”

“The Liberal - Nationals have made it abundantly clear yet again that they are puppy farm apologists and cannot be trusted.”

“This finishes what we started – ending puppy farming, banning the sale of breeders’ puppies and kittens in pet shops, and cracking down on the online sale of dogs and cats.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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