Legislation regarding – Pet Ownership
Whether you are considering adopting or rehoming a pet, there are laws and codes of practice that affect pet ownership for each state and territory.
ACT - Domestic Animals Act 2000
QLD - Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (PDF, 1.4MB) and Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008
SA - Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 for pet registration and microchipping, and the Animal Welfare Act 1985 for general care and breeding.
TAS - Dog Control Act 2000 for dogs, specific cat management regulations, and the general Animal Welfare Act 1993 for overall pet care.
NT - Animal Protection and Related Legislation Amendment Act 2025
VIC - Domestic Animals Act 1994
NSW - Animal Companion Act 1998
All States, Territories & ACT
Please check the laws and regulations with your local government if you currently own an assistance dog or are planning to begin training one:
EXAMPLE OF NSW requirments:
ID, Desexing, Registration, Microchipping and laws for listing a pet.
NSW Pets Registry
The NSW Pet Registry allows you to pay registration online, helps furry family members return home if lost, and keeps you up-to-date with your pet's important milestones.
Many aspects of owning a pet have changed. The following is just a snapshot:
Identification #
In NSW, anyone selling or giving away a cat or dog must include an identification number in their advertisement.
This identification number must be one of the following:
A microchip number
A rehoming organisation number
A breeder identification number
Microchipping
When should a pet be microchipped?
All cats and dogs must be microchipped:
before being sold or given away, or by 12 weeks of age.
Desexing
Dog owners must pay an additional fee if their dog is not desexed before 6 months of age.
Cat owners must pay an annual permit fee if their cat is not desexed before 4 months of age.
Need help to desex? Go to ndn.org.au or our desexing section.
Buyer's Search in NSW
Why do you need an MN, BIN or RON when advertising? It is used to do a Buyer's Search.
The NSW Buyer's Search is used to learn more about a breeder, rehoming organisation, or pet before buying or adopting; see our example of Bailey the French Bulldog.
Compare the photo with the information.
NEXT STEPS:
Go to Pet Registration to check your pets registration by State/Territory or to search a Major National Registries.
Go to Identification Rules and Legislation for Pet Listings to check the Rules and Regulations for advertising, rehoming and adopting pets in your State or Territory.
Go to Desexing Your Pet to understand when to desex your pet by law in your State or Territory, the benefits of desexing a pet and how to apply for discounted desexing at ndn.org.au.