Companion Animal Amendment Bill 2022…
A big win for PIAA and companion animal breeding and retailing is finally on the cards.
Overnight (Wednesday (16/11) the NSW legislative council (upper house), heard the second reading of the COMPANION ANIMAL AMENDMENT (PUPPY FARMS) BILL 2022. In what I view as a huge achievement, the bill was passed with some major amendments. (See attached)
The amendments that were proposed sought to address concerns that PIAA and other stakeholders had identified and raised previously.
In particular,breeding females will now be capped at 5 lifetime litters instead of the 2 that was previously proposed.
Animals on breeding arrangements, homed with families, will no longer be counted toward an approved commercial breeding facilities cap of 50 animals. Instead, the measure will be a maximum of 50 breeding females on site at any point in time
Finally, in a huge change from the previous proposal, pet shops who are members of an applicable industry association will be exempt from the ban on pet shops selling puppies and kittens provided they source their puppies and kittens from approved registered breeders.
An applicable industry association means an association or other organisation approved by the Minister for the purposes of the legislation. Such associations must be able to show requirements for membership that exceed minimum welfare standards and demonstrate best practice.
PIAA obviously intends to apply to the Minister to be approved as an applicable industry association. This would mean PIAA members who meet the requirements of PIAA membership (included independent vet audits of their business) will be able to continue to sell puppies and kittens,
The legislation now must pass the lower house to become law. PIAA's position is to now support this legislation as it currently stands. We have been listened to and achieved amendments in every area of concern we raised. I would be comfortable to now say the proposed legislation will achieve the objective of eliminating unscrupulous bad operators whilst ensuring a navigable and viable pathway exists for good professional business who exceed welfare standards to continue to be able to breed and sell pets. This will also be great to drive incentive to become a PIAA member. This amended legislation also will take the issue off the table and provide certainly to our industry and members businesses in an environment where continued attacks from animal liberation groups will be inevitable. PIAA will be lobbying both the Coalition government and Labour opposition to support this legislation in the lower house.
It is likely Queensland will now be looking at enacting similar legislation and PIAA view the NSW legislation as a great working model moving forward.