New ID Requirements For Selling Pets In NSW To Improve Animal Welfare

Member for Kiama Gareth Ward MP has today announced that new requirements for the sale of dogs and cats in NSW will improve animal welfare outcomes and give families more information about where their pet is coming from.

Mr Ward said that from 1 July, people selling or giving away cats or dogs will need to include an identification number in all advertisements.

“These changes will provide prospective pet owners with more confidence they are purchasing from a reputable breeder,” he said.

“Welcoming a new pet into the family is an exciting time and we want to ensure we are protecting the welfare of cats and dogs through this process.

“These new requirements will enable purchasers to make more informed choices about the dogs and cats they are buying, allowing them to look up important information about the animal’s history and the breeder or seller they are buying from.

“It will also promote responsible cat and dog breeding and selling by allowing relevant agencies to identify and deal with problem breeders.

“The identification number can be either a microchip number, a breeder identification number or a rehoming organisation number,” Mr Ward said.

“The changes have been implemented in response to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Companion Animal Breeding Practices and are supported by the new and improved NSW Pet Registry, a database of microchipped and registered cats and dogs that live in NSW.

“Pet owners can visit the NSW Pet Registry website to conduct a ‘buyer search’ and easily access information about an advertised animal including its breed, age, gender and whether or not it is de-sexed.

“The NSW Pet Registry is an important tool that allows pet owners to easily register their cat or dog, update contact details, report their pet missing, transfer ownership and pay the one-off registration fee,” Mr Ward concluded.

For information about the new requirements, please visit: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/animal-welfare/companion-animal-welfare.

For information about how to be a responsible cat or dog owner and register your pets, please visit: www.petregistry.nsw.gov.au.