Thursday, 11 September 2025

Bills

Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Bill 2025

Second reading

Debate resumed on motion of Ros Spence:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Rachel WESTAWAY (Prahran) (11:28): I rise today to speak on the Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Bill 2025, and I do so with deep respect for the thousands of volunteers across Victoria who dedicate their lives to rescuing and rehoming our most vulnerable animals. As someone who shares their home with two beautiful cats – they are Gucci and Lulu, two exotics who are fully fledged family members – I understand the profound bond between humans and their companion animals and the lengths that people will go to to ensure their welfare. The opposition acknowledges the government’s stated intent to improve oversight and to strengthen outcomes for dogs and cats in need. This is a worthy goal that we all share. However, good intentions alone do not make good legislation, and I stand here today to voice serious concerns about how this bill, in its current form, risks undermining the very community organisations that it claims to support.

Let me be clear about what we are discussing here. Victoria’s animal rescue sector is built on the dedication of volunteers – people who actually open their homes, their hearts and their wallets to save animals that would otherwise face euthanasia. These are not large corporate entities with teams of administrators and are not compliance officers. These are ordinary Victorians doing extraordinary work, and at great personal cost. These volunteers work tirelessly seven days a week to give animals a second chance. They are foster carers who bottle feed orphan kittens through the night, retirees who dedicate their golden years to rehabilitating traumatised dogs and working families who squeeze rescue animals into already very busy households.

This is not the first time we have seen well-intentioned legislation create unintended consequences for the Victorian rescue sector. In 2016 the Andrews government introduced the voluntary community foster care registration scheme. At that time concerns were raised by community foster carers, the Municipal Association of Victoria and the wider community about the lack of proper consultation, and an upper house inquiry was established to examine these issues. The committee’s recommendations were pretty clear: that the government withdraw the current bill and immediately establish a stakeholder group of industry, municipal and community representatives to consult on the drafting of a new bill. Had the government heeded this advice in 2016 and 2017, we might not be here today discussing similar concerns. Instead the current voluntary system has achieved critically low uptake, with only approximately 50 registered community foster carers across the state, leaving thousands unable to access the support they were promised.

Now we see history repeating itself. The government describes this new scheme as voluntary, but let us examine what ‘voluntary’ really means. When you remove access to government funding, increase administrative costs and create a two-tiered system that favours large organisations, how voluntary is non-participation really? The bill creates what rescue groups accurately describe as a punishment system for those who do not opt in. Small volunteer-run rescues, the backbone of Victoria’s rehoming efforts, will find themselves pushed to the margin, unable to compete for the already limited pool of funding available to them.

First, there is the financial burden. The bill proposes mandatory council notifications within seven business days for each foster placement, address change or adoption. For a single dog this could mean up to nine separate communications and notifications, and each missed notification carries a penalty of approximately $610. For small rescues already operating on shoestring budgets these penalties could be absolutely devastating. The removal of the $6 foster carer registration fee, replaced with fees of $60 to $150 per animal, shifts the costs directly from individual carers to rescue organisations. This is not administrative streamlining, it is cost shifting that will force smaller groups out of operation.

Second, there is the reporting burden. The bill requires multiple events to be reported within seven days: foster placements, age milestones, adoptions and address changes. This demands dedicated tracking systems and administrative staff that most volunteer organisations just do not have. Meanwhile pounds and shelters that foster and rehome animals face no equivalent reporting burden to councils under their code of practice.

Third, the penalties are disproportionate. At over $1700 per missed notification, penalties could quickly bankrupt small rescues. These are not corporate entities that can absorb such costs; these are community groups running on donations and volunteer labour.

The bill’s expanded search powers allow authorised officers to enter backyards, to enter garages, to enter sheds and to enter vehicles without a warrant, and this represents a disproportionate intrusion into the privacy of foster carers – people who are volunteering their time for our four-legged friends, the majority of whom are law-abiding citizens, providing a very valuable community service.

Additionally, requiring public disclosure of the names of persons responsible for administering pet rehoming organisations creates both privacy concerns and safety risks that will deter volunteers from participating. There are also genuine concerns about the public release of euthanasia data without proper context, which risks causing reputational harm and divisiveness within a sector that relies heavily on public donations and community support.

The opposition will not oppose this bill. We recognise that some elements represent improvements. The clarification of authorised officers powers and the prescribed classes of dogs eligible for discounted registration have been welcomed by councils. The current system simply does not work, and this bill does deliver a marginally better framework. However, we cannot stand by whilst the same mistakes of 2016 are repeated.

We will be pursuing amendments in the upper house to ensure this legislation truly serves the community organisations it claims to support, rather than creating other systems destined for low uptake and unintended consequences. The opposition does not oppose reform. We support measures that genuinely improve animal welfare outcomes, but reform must be practical, proportionate and informed by proper consultation with stakeholders.

We call on the government to implement the constructive amendments proposed by the rescue sector. Firstly, make the scheme voluntary by writing this guarantee into the code of practice, ensuring rescues cannot be forced to participate in the future. Second, streamline reporting through a central register rather than multiple council notifications and allow monthly reporting instead of seven-day deadlines that create unnecessary stress and administrative burden. Third, ensure the proportionate requirements across all organisations. If pounds and shelters are not required to report foster care addresses to councils, why should rescue groups face this burden instead? And fourth, remove the link between government funding and scheme compliance. Support should be based on animal welfare outcomes, not administrative compliance with a voluntary scheme. And fifth, implement positive incentives rather than punitive measures. The sector suggested practical incentives like master rescue status, official recognition and website listings. These cost nothing, but they provide valuable credibility.

Let me share what rescue groups told the government during consultation. They proposed constructive, practical incentives for participation. Instead the government offered benefits entirely out of step with the sector’s needs, including the suggestion that rescues could give dogs and cats to pet shops to sell. The rescue sector was horrified by this suggestion, and rightly so. This disconnect illustrates how far removed the government’s thinking is from the day-to-day reality of rescue work.

These organisations exist precisely because they believe animals are not commodities to be sold but living beings deserving of being carefully matched with appropriate homes. The statistics speak for themselves. In 2024 pounds and shelters had over 14,000 dogs and cats in foster care and still euthanased 12,000 animals. Community rescue groups work tirelessly to reduce these numbers, taking in animals that might otherwise be destroyed and investing time, money and love in finding them homes. These volunteers are the unsung heroes of animal welfare in Victoria. They deserve our support, not additional red tape that threatens their ability to continue their very good work.

We have an opportunity to learn from the failures of 2016 and create legislation that truly supports Victoria’s rescue community. The opposition will work constructively through the parliamentary process to achieve meaningful amendments that address the genuine concerns raised by rescue organisations.

Jordan CRUGNALE (Bass) (11:38): I rise to support the Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Bill 2025, an important step forward for animal welfare in Victoria. Its essence is to embed the dedication of our rescue groups and shelters into the legislative framework, recognising the vital role they play in giving them the support they need to continue their invaluable work.

This bill introduces a voluntary authorisation scheme for pet rehoming organisations, and for the first time these groups will be formally recognised under the Domestic Animals Act 1994. It reflects years of consultation. In 2021 the Taskforce on Rehoming Pets delivered its final report after engaging widely with the sector. Recommendations 7 and 11 called for a regulatory framework to recognise and support rehoming organisations. Since then the department has conducted interviews, workshops and surveys and established the rehoming pets working group in 2023. The draft bill was refined with the sector in late 2024. This reform reflects the insights of those who live this work every day.

To qualify for authorisation, organisations must be registered charities with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. This ensures accountability and public trust and highlights that rehoming work is driven by service to the community, not profit.

Members interjecting.

Jordan CRUGNALE: Can I ask for a little bit of quiet in the chamber, please. Authorised organisations may be granted permission to conduct dog and cat adoption events at registered animal pounds, shelters and pet shops. In addition, these organisations will be exempt from registering foster cats and dogs with the local councils for the first 12 months that the animals remain in foster care. The bill also clarifies the powers of authorised officers under the Domestic Animals Act. Officers will be able to enter the whole or part of any premises or any vehicle, excluding any building or vehicle that is occupied as a residential home. This bill empowers rehoming organisations – it does not restrict them – and our government will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure the regulations are practical and effective.

This bill builds on the extraordinary work already underway across Victoria, and it is important to acknowledge individuals and organisations that have carried this responsibility for many years. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the wonderful work of Michelle Dryden from One at a Time Pet Rescue in Lang Lang. She is one of the most beautiful, caring and grounded people I have ever met, with a humongous heart for cats – and people – dogs, chooks, llamas, horses and sheep. Many know Michelle not just in the Cardinia Shire but in wider south-eastern Gippsland for her incredible dedication and compassion in caring for animals in need. Last year she received a grant of around $27,000 to fund the establishment of a quarantine and isolation care centre for vulnerable cats and kittens, ensuring they can receive the care and protection they need during the most critical stages of recovery. In a text exchange she spoke about being in such shock about being successful in receiving this grant but very humbled, grateful and relieved to be able to help cats. Her work continues to make a real and lasting difference and it is important that we recognise her contributions today on the public record.

In the Bass Coast area of my electorate, I want to recognise Marion Munro and her remarkable work at the Corinella Boarding Kennels and Dog Rescue. She is a recent recipient also in our annual Community Gem recognition, where for the fifth year running since we have been doing this, we have put a call out to the people of Bass to nominate someone exquisite living amongst us who has made their heart sing and shown their true community colours. We had over a hundred nominations this year come in with remarkable stories of remarkable people. People in our kinders, schools, clubs, men’s sheds, servos and shops. Of no surprise, we had many delighting in telling me about Marion’s amazing work, and they spoke to her generosity of spirit, stellar dedication, super caring demeanour to all animals, always looking out for each and every rescue she befriends, and pets looked after. Some of the quotes that were said of Marion included ‘a quiet achiever with a beautiful spirit’, ‘Marion does everything with grace and kindness – she helps people in need as well as animals’, ‘is a living treasure’ and ‘everyone knows and loves her – a delightfully very funny person, too’. As part of the Community Gems Sunday series on my socials, the comments, likes and shares were in abundance as well. Just to quote a number of them:

So well deserved. Marion does so much for our community.

Congratulations … We know you don’t like the spotlight but sometimes the light switch needs to be turned on.

Marion … you deserve to wear that crown –

because each of the Community Gems received a very glittery tiara –

never forget that. Imagine how many breathe easier because of your selflessness. Imagine how many lives you have changed. Amazing effort, and you do it every single day.

Then there is the RSPCA crew in Pearcedale who are just gold. My dog Pippa, a pup at the time, accompanied me to officially launch their Pet Net project late last year. I could not leave her at home, so what better place to take her than to officiate at the RSPCA over in Pearcedale? We know that people love their pets, and this community-driven initiative is all about promoting animal welfare and responsible pet ownership. The program supports pet owners in our Cardinia, Casey, Frankston and Greater Dandenong communities and its services include accessible education to help families support the health and wellbeing of their pets, low-cost desexing and vaccination, pet food through food banks, emergency pet boarding and behaviour support. The RSPCA Victoria staff and volunteers’ commitment to improving the welfare of our precious pets is remarkable. The Peninsula Pet Net project is already providing vital support for our local Bass communities and their beloved pets, so I just want to thank Dr Sarah Irwin, the CEO Dr Liz Walker and the extraordinarily spirited, caring, professional, kind and amazing team at Pearcedale and across the RSPCA for all the work they do supporting our community members needing extra pet support and caring for the many pets that come in for care.

The RSPCA Victoria also cares for more than 20,000 animals each year across the state, and their work spans shelters, veterinary treatment, cruelty investigations and community education.

They protect animals in need while helping others understand how to care responsibly.

Across the state countless other animal organisations are working tirelessly caring for, rescuing and protecting animals every single day. The Lost Dogs Home, established in 1910, provides refuge for more than 20,000 lost, stray and abandoned animals each year. Their services include medical treatment, rehabilitation and rehoming, and with a 24-hour animal ambulance and a strong foster care network, they ensure help is available wherever pets are vulnerable. Wildlife Victoria has operated since 1989, responding to calls about sick, injured and orphaned native animals. Their 24-hour emergency response service and statewide volunteer network ensure that wildlife receives care and rehabilitation. Their work reminds us that animal welfare includes the unique native species that enrich our environment.

Grassroots organisations also play a vital role. Australian Animal Rescue Incorporated, founded in response to the 2009 bushfires, rescues both domestic and wild animals, provides rehabilitation and responds in times of crisis. There is the Cat Protection Society of Victoria, established in 1947, the largest cat welfare organisation in the country. Together these organisations show what is possible when communities are motivated by compassion. They demonstrate that responsibility for animal welfare is shared across society, from large statewide charities to local volunteers.

In conclusion, the bill acknowledges this reality by creating a structure that works with the sector rather than imposing unnecessary obstacles. It ensures that care is delivered to high standards while providing flexibility and benefits that make rehoming more sustainable. It also sends a clear message that government values and supports the work of shelters, foster networks and adoption groups. Volunteers and foster carers are central to this story. They take animals into their homes, often at their own expense, and provide the stability and love that vulnerable animals need until a permanent family is found. Their contribution is not measured only in the numbers but in lives saved, in the relief of frightened or injured animals and in the joy of new beginnings. Every person who has fostered a dog or a cat and every volunteer who has answered an emergency call for wildlife has helped create a more compassionate state. To every shelter worker, every rescuer, every volunteer and every foster carer: thank you. Your work transforms lives. This bill is for you and for the animals that cannot speak for themselves, and I commend the bill to the house.

Jess WILSON (Kew) (11:48): I too rise to speak on the Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Bill 2025. It is raining cats and dogs in the chamber here this morning. I have to say from the outset, I am probably more of a dog person than I am a cat person. I know that is probably an electorally unpopular and unwise thing to say. But I respect the role of cats in our society and the importance of them to many Victorians.

Annabelle Cleeland: Emotional wellbeing.

Jess WILSON: Indeed. But as the co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of the RSPCA and, I must say, the very proud parent to my cairn terrier Audrey, this bill is of great interest to me. Can I just start by thanking the team at the RSPCA and Dr Liz Walker. I know the RSPCA sits within the member for Box Hill’s electorate. The member for Box Hill serves as the secretary of the Parliamentary Friends of the RSPCA and is the co-chair with the member for Eltham as well. It is certainly a bipartisan parliamentary friendship group here, and we love the opportunity when it presents itself to have events in Parliament and bring – I think we have only had dogs in, but potentially maybe in the future some cats as well. Can I really put on the record the incredibly important work that the RSPCA does do to –

Members interjecting.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Wayne Farnham): Members will come to order. I am a cat person – stop it.

Jess WILSON: Now I have got the Acting Speaker offside. Can I thank the people at the RSPCA for the wonderful work that they do to promote and provide for animal welfare. They truly are saints. Having visited the facility out in the member for Box Hill’s electorate, you can see firsthand the dedication and care they provide to the animals that they are looking after out there and the terrific service they offer. But can I also thank the myriad of volunteers and individuals and organisations who work tirelessly in that completely volunteer capacity to find new homes for pets across the state. I think, like many in this place, few things pull at the heartstrings more than cats and dogs that are looking for a new home – a forever home, we would hope to see. To the people who do the work behind the scenes to make those new homes a reality, whether they be foster carers or those who devote countless hours to managing rehoming organisations and networks: a sincere thankyou to all of you for all the work that you do. I know that this bill will make changes to the way a lot of these organisations will operate going forward, and I will certainly address those changes shortly.

But first, can I just make a couple of broader comments about the Domestic Animals Act 1994. As this bill does make amendments to it, I want to use this opportunity once again to call for a review into strengthening the guidance under the act provided to local councils around when dogs should be declared dangerous. A constituent of mine in Kew recently lost her beloved dog after it was attacked by another dog, and having met with her a couple of times now, I can understand the incredible pain that her and her family have gone through as a result of that awful attack and the loss of their beloved pet. Despite the tragic fatality caused by the dog in question, it was not declared a dangerous dog under the act by Boroondara council.

Now, when a dog is declared dangerous, it ensures owners are required to keep the dog in an appropriate enclosure and display appropriate warning signs. Section 34 of the Domestic Animals Act indicates council may exercise discretion to declare a dog dangerous if the dog has caused the death of or serious injury to a person or animal by biting or attacking that person or animal. However, it does not provide specific guidance on how this discretion should be exercised, and this means that councils are left largely to their own devices when it comes to implementing the criteria. I have called on the Minister for Agriculture previously to develop more specific statutory guidance around declaring dogs as dangerous animals under the Domestic Animals Act so that councils have greater clarity around the circumstances that warrant such a declaration. Today I take the opportunity to renew that call to the minister on that opportunity to take a real review of that section of the act. I do note there has been a change to the act recently which now does provide for councils to be notified when a dangerous dog moves into a new council area. This is a welcome change, but there is certainly more to do around providing more specific guidance around that discretionary power for councils to declare an animal a dangerous animal.

But I go back to the bill before us today. This is a bill that seeks to establish a new pet rehoming authorisation scheme. Under the scheme, which I understand is voluntary, pet rehoming organisations can apply for authorisation. So while pet rehoming organisations will not be required to be authorised, certain benefits will be offered to organisations within the scheme. This is certainly a practical step forward, but it is clear that the bill before us today is a consequence of not consulting and not taking the appropriate steps in the first place, and that is why we have had to bring it back before us today. Much of this could have been avoided a decade ago, as I said, with proper consultation at the time. Back in 2016 the government introduced the Domestic Animals Amendment (Puppy Farms and Pet Shops) Bill 2016, and this initial piece of legislation introduced the voluntary registration system for community foster carers, a move that almost immediately was a cause of concern for many in the industry. These red flags were not just raised by foster carers but also by the Municipal Association of Victoria and the broader public. The core issue was that the system had been designed with very little input from those who would be most affected. That is unfortunately a hallmark of many of the pieces of legislation that come before us – the lack of consultation with those most affected. As a consequence, here we are today bringing forward amendments that could have been put in place the first time.

Turning to some of the key elements of the bill before us, chief among the benefits that will be offered by the scheme to the registered organisations is permission to hold adoption days to rehome dogs and cats. I understand that at the moment this permission is only granted to pounds and shelters, and adoption days have the potential to provide rehoming networks with greater opportunity and wider exposure to support their rehoming efforts, including at pet supply shops. Authorised organisations will also be able to use these days to promote and educate the community about the ongoing rehoming work that they do. The bill also provides a key benefit for registered organisations by way of a 12-month exemption from the requirement to register foster cats and dogs with their local council. Presently, foster carers are required to register their cat or dog with the local council, even though the arrangement is not intended to be permanent because a forever home is still being sought for that animal. This registration requirement is both an administrative and a financial burden on organisations and foster carers, so the exemption represents an attractive benefit for becoming authorised under the scheme.

I note in the minister’s second-reading speech it was argued that setting these requirements will improve animal welfare outcomes for cats and dogs and enable pet rehoming organisations to demonstrate their high standards of animal management and care. I am sure this was the intention of the bill, but like many of my Liberal and National colleagues, I have been contacted by a number of individuals and organisations expressing concerns about these additional requirements. There are concerns the scheme will simply add to the administrative load, and there are concerns about the lack of detail and definitions around the criteria for the organisations that will become authorised. I thank the member for Lowan for her contribution earlier on this debate, which highlighted the coalition’s deep appreciation for the work of foster care networks across the state in caring for vulnerable animals. We share the concerns of these organisations – namely, that the government has overlooked the importance of the work these organisations do in drafting the bill – and I understand that we will be looking at pursuing options and amendments to this effect in the upper house.

While we certainly do not oppose the bill before us today, and it does go some way to improve the current system, there is a clear need to monitor its impact for unintended consequences on the sector. More broadly, can I just finish by thanking my Audrey, my cairn terrier, for being a wonderful big sister to Patrick. I think sometimes he loves her more than she loves him. Every morning when he wakes up and sees Audrey next to his cot, it is one of the most lovely things in the world.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Wayne Farnham): Member for Northcote, I hope you are a cat person.

Kat THEOPHANOUS (Northcote) (11:58): Acting Speaker, unfortunately for you, I must declare to this house that I too am a dog person, though, like the member for Kew, I do respect the role of cats in our society.

Gary Maas interjected.

[NAME AWAITING VERIFICATION]

Kat THEOPHANOUS: They do have a role to play. This bill is about cats and dogs, but really it is about those bonds that shape our lives. It is about muddy paw prints on a freshly mopped floor, the jingle of a collar as a dog bounds to the door and the soft weight of a cat curled up beside you after a long day. It is about second chances: the dog waiting at the pound to be reunited with its owner; the rescue cat peering through the bars of a shelter, hoping for a home; and the volunteers who open their doors and their hearts, giving those animals a future. When we talk about rehoming cats and dogs, we are really talking about building families; we are talking about homes filled with love and laughter and companionship. Pets are not just background characters in our lives; they walk with us through our stories, they share our secrets, our sorrows and our joy, and they are a part of us.

When I think about the difference a pet can make in a family’s life, I cannot help but think about my own childhood dog. We got her on Christmas Day when I was seven years old, a tiny little Australian terrier crossed with a silky terrier and so small she could fit in the palms of my two hands. Because she was a Christmas gift and a pooch, she was dubbed ‘Chooch’, and she truly lived up to her special name. Chooch was whip smart and emotionally savvy; she was cheeky and independent; and she loved her freedom, and when she ran, she ran like the wind. When she was happy her tail would wag furiously and she would leap all over us, licking our faces. If you got too close to her when she was eating, she would growl and nip at you.

My older brothers and I used to set up obstacle courses down the hallway of our house in Alphington, pillows and teddies lined up as hurdles, and she would tear through them at lightning speed to claim the piece of ham at the other end. She was resourceful too, finding ways to sneak out of the house and explore the neighbourhood, sometimes even enlisting other dogs to bring her scraps of food. She loved a tummy rub and hated baths. If we did bathe her, she would dash straight outside to roll in the dirt, undoing all our efforts. So many of my childhood memories are coloured by her fluffy little face, her soft pointy ears and those clever brown eyes. She filled our childhood with happiness. It was devastating when she went missing about 10 years later. She left a big hole in our hearts, one so deep that we never brought another dog into our family. But if we ever did, I know that rehoming would be a pathway we would really consider, because every dog and cat deserves the chance to bring joy to a family like Chooch brought to us.

For the very first time, our laws will formally recognise the extraordinary contribution of Victoria’s pet rehoming organisations – the rescue groups, the adoption networks and the volunteer-run charities who dedicate themselves day in and day out to give cats and dogs a second chance at life. That is why this bill matters. It recognises the simple truth that pets are not just animals, they are family. By strengthening the rehoming system we are helping to build more happy homes full of muddy paws, wagging tails and the kind of unconditional love only an animal can give.

This is something I see reflected every day in Northcote. We are a community who care deeply about the welfare of animals and have long campaigned on animal justice issues, pushing for a ban on recreational duck hunting and better treatment for greyhounds and conservation efforts for our swamp wallabies and other species along our waterways and creeks. As the member for Northcote, I have been proud to champion these causes and represent the deep affection my community feels for all living things. By a vast majority, we believe that all animals are sentient beings capable of experiencing fear, pain and suffering and therefore it is our moral responsibility to protect them from harm.

That is why I have been proud to be a part of a Labor government that has led the nation on animal welfare. We introduced Victoria’s first ever Animal Welfare Action Plan, providing a framework for the protection of all animals, whether they are pets, farmed animals or wildlife, and recognising the sentience of animals. We banned cruel puppy farms with the strictest breeding laws in the country, and we changed the rules so pet shops can only source cats and dogs through registered shelters and organisations, helping to put an end to large-scale illegal breeders. We also banned puppies and kittens from languishing in pet shops in their windows. But the list goes on; it does not stop there. We made it the law that every pet sold must have a microchip and source number, so families know where their pets have come from. We established a pet exchange register to improve the traceability of cats and dogs being sold or rehomed, and we became the first state to introduce mandatory reporting of animal fate data for dogs and cats in shelters and pounds. We gave renters the right to keep a pet in their home, and we removed the cruel and outdated requirement for greyhounds to be muzzled in public. These are reforms that reflect our values as Victorians, that animals deserve to be treated with dignity and that every dog and cat should have the chance to live in a safe and loving home.

In my office in Northcote this is our lived experience. My former staffer Johanna used to bring Frank to work under her desk, her adorable little Jack Russell. Now my staffer Heidi tells me about her three cats that live with her as her family at home, each with their own unique quirks and personalities. Walk through Northcote on any given day and you will see it everywhere. On High Street dogs sit at cafe tables with their owners, bowls of water are welcomingly laid out for them, cats perch on windowsills ruling their little kingdoms and in All Nations Park neighbours meet and dogs tumble together on the grass.

We are so fortunate to have wonderful local vets as well: Northcote Animal Hospital, Northcote Plaza veterinary clinic, Thornbury Veterinary Hospital, Preston Veterinary  & Hospital, Alphington and Fairfield Vet and ARC. I thank these vets and their staff who are there for families through very difficult moments, holding their hands as they say goodbye to a beloved pet or celebrating them when a sick animal has pulled through.

I also want to thank our local pet rehoming shelters and services, including the Wat Djerring Animal Facility, which is the animal pound for Darebin, but also other local rescue groups like Maneki Neko Cat Rescue and the Lost Dogs Home.

And it is worth noting that in the last year, Darebin rangers collected over a thousand pets, with many not returning home. So foster carers and rehoming is really critical work.

What we are doing in this bill matters, because these reforms will shape the kind of lives our pets lead, the care they receive, the chances they are given and the love they get to share. This bill takes forward five of the recommendations from the independent Taskforce on Rehoming Pets. At the heart of the changes is a new voluntary authorisation scheme for pet rehoming organisations. Right now the law regulates individual foster carers, but it does not give proper oversight or support to the organisations that actually manage the whole rehoming process, and the sector has been calling for change. Under the new framework organisations that choose to become authorised will receive important benefits, including reducing financial burdens and giving them the same opportunities that pounds and shelters have to rehome cats and dogs. They will be able to hold adoption days with no dogs under six months and no kittens under eight weeks, and authorised officers will be empowered to shut down an event if welfare is ever at risk. This means they will be better placed to find safe and loving homes for more animals. Those organisations that do not opt in can continue to operate as they always have, but they will not have access to those benefits. These changes have been shaped by extensive consultation with rehoming groups and animal welfare advocates across Victoria. They will take effect in 14 months after detailed regulations are developed in partnership with the sector and community. The bill also makes one important clarification around powers of entry. It confirms that authorised officers can enter a backyard without a warrant in order to seize a dangerous dog, but it does not extend those powers to people’s homes or vehicles.

[NAME AWAITING VERIFICATION]

This bill strengthens Victoria’s proud record of animal welfare reform. It gives proper recognition to the organisations and volunteers who devote themselves to rescuing, rehabilitating and homing our state’s cats and dogs. For the first time their contribution will be formally enshrined in law, backed by a framework that provides the support they need to keep doing their vital work. I want to acknowledge again the tireless dedication of Victoria’s rehoming community, from large organisations to the smallest volunteer rescue groups. The compassion, persistence and care that they bring has shaped these reforms and ensures that more animals will find their way to safe and loving homes. Step by step, reform by reform, we have been making Victoria’s laws more compassionate, more humane and more reflective of our values. Animals are not property. They are not disposable. They are living, feeling beings. They experience fear, joy and love just like we do. Whether it is my Chuchi, the terrier who made my childhood brighter, Heidi’s three cats waiting at home or the rescue dog finding its forever family, this bill is about valuing them, protecting them and recognising that the sector supports them. On behalf of my community, I thank the minister, the taskforce and of course the sector itself for bringing more kindness to our laws.

[NAMES AWAITING VERIFICATION]

Annabelle CLEELAND (Euroa) (12:08): It is an absolute joy to stand up, like so many people today, to rise and speak on the Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Bill 2025. It is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to talk about the other family members that they have, and we are continuing the theme. I think I should mention that we are dog people, but as farmers we have an emotional support dog in the house and every other dog is a working dog and has to stay outside the house because of the smell that they have, but they are very happy and honestly live just as well. So we have our Ray and Tempe, who are our working dogs and are just amazing. Honestly, they are like two staff members in how effective they are, but they are just beautiful and they are very handy.

A little anecdote: when I was elected I said to my children, ‘How are you going with Mum being away from home so often?’ And they said, ‘Oh, you know’ – a bit of an exposure about how domestically useless I am. They said, ‘Oh, Mum, we’re fine without you. We just don’t get as many cuddles from Dad.’ Well, any parent would feel that is quite heartbreaking, and so a couple of days later I brought home our beautiful dachshund, Alphonse Kitchen Louie Cleeland. You know, each person got to choose a name to bring them together, and my son was hungry at the time, so he is Alphonse Kitchen Louie Cleeland, aka Fonz, Fonzie, Fonzarelli or Alphonse Gangitano. We have lots of different names for him – some of them probably should just stay in the house. But he is just beautiful. He regulates our emotions, and he is a joy of our life. And you know, we cannot have favourite children, but let me tell you, he competes for that title often.

As farmers we also act as foster carers, and a bit of a more sombre comment that I wanted to make while we are talking about our love for animals is that the farmers that have gone through some really tough times in the past month have gone out on a limb to ensure they have prioritised the health and wellbeing of their animals above all else. I just wanted to give a little shout-out to those that have been feeding relentlessly – yes, we have had some rain, which is wonderful, but it has been a really tough time. Every farmer that I know always prioritises, no matter their financial position, feeding their animals and their livestock over themselves. I hope that we have turned a corner. I hope that the season starts to see grass growing and it is a better time for our farmers in the electorate of Euroa and really right across the state.

[NAMES AWAITING VERIFICATION]

We also have just a couple of other pets that we have adopted over the last few years, Ivy and Mary – Mary had a little lamb, obviously – which have gone on to be our pets, which are more work than the other thousand-odd sheep that we have. We also have an off-the-track thoroughbred, which my husband calls the most expensive lawnmower you will ever come across. A nice little shout-out to the Nagambie breeders, because I have got some of the best, world-class thoroughbred breeders in the electorate, and their whole-of-life care for these magnificent animals is just inspiring – hence where our expensive lawnmower came from, who has a wonderful retired life grazing the hills. His name is Killer Valley, but I would not get on a horse called Killer, so we called him Manu because of his New Zealand genetics. In the past couple of months we have helped care for a koala, a turtle and a duckling. A nice little shout-out to Seymour, because we have the best greyhound adoption program based in Seymour, which is another rehoming program to support the greyhound industry, making sure that they are whole-of-life supported, these magnificent animals. Gosh, we sound like we have a zoo at home, but we have also adopted a greyhound called Gertrude.

Because you now know our family genetics and our love of who is in our home, I am going to get back to the bill. As we have heard, there are some tweaks. Honestly, a lot of people have mentioned earlier today that had it been done right in 2016 we probably would not have spent an enormous amount of resources and a couple of days dedicated to debating it, but here we are. The focus is on improving the way dogs and cats are rehomed through introducing a new authorisation scheme for pet rehoming organisations. The bill seeks to enhance transparency and oversight. It also attempts to tighten rules around when authorised officers can enter certain premises and clarifies access to backyards. There are provisions around reduced registration fees for certain classes of dogs, which I understand have been very well received.

At face value the bill is a practical step forward, but scratching the surface it is clear that much of this could have been avoided with just proper consultation in the first place, which we have heard extensively throughout this Parliament, really. Get it right the first time, and we save an awful amount of money and time in this place.

The initial piece of legislation back in 2016, the Domestic Animals Amendment (Puppy Farms and Pet Shops) Bill 2016 – as soon as it went through, there were red flags straightaway. They were raised by foster carers but also by councils, the Municipal Association of Victoria and really right across the state. The core issue was designed with very little input from those it would affect, a move, unfortunately, that we see quite often in this place. Councils were particularly concerned about the financial burden to administer these new registrations and the lack of support to shoulder that. Understandably, people did not feel comfortable registering these foster animals in their own names for what might be just a short period of time, so there was a practicality element that we really had to take on board.

The concerns were substantial enough to prompt the upper house inquiry, which we have heard about, and they resulted in a report from the inquiry that had the first finding and recommendation, finding 1, that consultation with relevant stakeholders was inadequate. The report said that the government should withdraw the bill and immediately establish a stakeholder group of industry, municipal and community representatives to consult on the drafting of the new bill. Essentially, we had to go back to the drawing board. Fast forward nearly a decade later and we are still cleaning up the consequences of that poor consultation to begin with.

Back to this bill: at its core, authorised organisations will be required to report information about the animals in their care, including what happens to them, whether they are desexed or microchipped and how long they remain in foster care. These organisations will also be eligible for certain grants to help offset the costs of reporting administration and also receive exemptions from some council registration requirements. There are also new powers allowing these authorised groups to hold adoption days at pet shops and other venues; it is a small but welcome change. The bill also tidies up some grey areas, such as confirming that authorised officers can enter a backyard to seize dangerous dogs and clarifying fee reductions for dogs that are microchipped.

It is tidy on paper, but there are some fairly big questions. There is still some controversy around the voluntary authorisation scheme and whether it could have implications for smaller organisations that operate as foster carers as well. Although it is technically optional, the pressure to participate is strong and quite concerning.

[NAME AWAITING VERIFICATION]

There is one comment I want to refer to, because I think on our side we have gone through some of the holes and the concerns about it, but it is a great opportunity to highlight I guess what was ignored, the missed opportunities of the past and the ways that we must do better in listening to those who are already doing the hard work on the ground. It is also a great opportunity to thank all of our incredible animal foster carers, wildlife sanctuaries and community groups doing absolutely exceptional jobs across the Euroa electorate.

I want to finish by reading some words by Melody Moses, a student from FCJ College Benalla who recently participated in the Parliament Prize competition and spoke on the importance of our local wildlife and the need to keep them safe. Her family actually operate a shelter outside of Benalla and do an absolutely magnificent job.

[QUOTE AWAITING VERIFICATION]

I am a 12-year-old girl from Benalla and my family run a wildlife shelter. We have almost 50 animals in care, and they all have their own unique and heartbreaking story. In case you did not know, 2245 species in Australia are endangered and 90 are critically endangered, and 202 animal and plant species have made the list of threatened species between 2016 and 2021. Wow! Crazy, right? Tens of millions of our animals are dying every year because of us, and it is just so unfair.

In this speech she talked about the impact of different developments on wildlife as well as the road toll. Those words are a powerful reminder of why bills like this can make a difference. But at its heart, the debate is not just about regulation or compliance but about the lives of animals and the communities who care for them.

John LISTER (Werribee) (12:18): I thank the member for Euroa for her really endearing contribution, particularly about her family pets as well. I really appreciated that. To bring a positive tone to this place is really appreciated. I too would like to just briefly reflect on how important our animals are.

In my contribution to this bill I do want to talk a little bit about some of the data that we have looked at as a government around the role that pets play in our lives. But before I do that I want to recall back to when I was not in this place and was just a civilian and saw the reforms coming through around banning puppy farms. It was a key feature of what we took to 2014 and elections after that. This government has remained committed to animal welfare and since 2014 has been at the forefront of reforms that reflect Victorians’ relationship with their pets. Our reforms led the country and included banning those cruel puppy farms, making it an offence to sell a pet without a valid microchip and source number from the pet exchange register and removing the need for greyhounds to be muzzled in public. That was great, because if anyone has met a greyhound, they are just nervous boys and girls. They are beautiful. I love greyhounds. We produced Victoria’s first Animal Welfare Action Plan, which recognises this idea that animals are sentient, and putting that into a formal policy led the country.

One thing that was particularly important to me as a renter for so long was giving us the right to keep a pet – no longer having to bundle up whatever animal you have, put them in the car and drive around to your family’s place during those inspections – and making sure that what is a normal thing is protected in our law.

We reformed the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee to make sure we get expert advice; we became the first state to introduce mandatory reporting of animal fate data for dogs and cats, which is particularly important to some of the reforms we are seeing today; we launched a targeted cat desexing program; and we developed a statewide cat management strategy.

In our 2023 pet census Victorians were asked where their furred or feathered family came from. In that data, when we looked at where people were getting their dogs from, although a significant amount still came from breeders, 17 per cent came from rescue, rehoming or volunteer-run organisations, 9 per cent from a family member or friend and 6 per cent from an animal shelter. Cats were a little bit different. The majority came from rescue, rehoming or volunteer-run organisations, animal shelters, or from a family or friend. Very few cats came from breeders, and I think we have all heard the jokes about the cat distribution network and the way that cats just suddenly appear in your life. I am someone who has two rehomed cats in their life. One spent the first few months of her life behind a bakery in Nhill – my fiancée adopted Pebbles – and the other was actually found underneath the G block portables at my school along with her sisters when their mum had abandoned them. We took them to the local vet just down the road on Market Road and discovered that all of a sudden we had to register and work with one of our local rehoming organisations to foster these three little kittens. I am happy to say that two out of the three ended up in good homes and one ended up with me, which is sometimes a little bit of an interesting scenario given my relationship with cats, because I am terrified of getting scratched, so a lot of my interactions are spent being very careful around them.

With this data and some of that reflection on my interactions with rehoming animals, it is important to look at these rehoming arrangements. In 2021 the Labor government’s Taskforce on Rehoming Pets delivered its report on how pet welfare can be improved through this process. One of the things that that report looked at was support for the rehoming sector. To read from the report:

Consultation found that the main barriers to rehoming animals are costs and access to long-term foster care.

Some of those costs include around $500 to rehome a dog, between $200 and $500 to rehome a cat – depending on how precious these cats are – and up to $200 to rehome other animals. This bill delivers on five recommendations from the taskforce by establishing a regulatory framework for pet rehoming organisations in the Domestic Animals Act 1994. The framework will introduce a voluntary authorisation scheme for these rehoming organisations in Victoria through the amendments and repeal current provisions that establish the voluntary foster carer registration scheme. This scheme regulated the individual carer rather than those rehoming organisations, meaning that oversight was not focused on the organisations that oversee all aspects of the pet rehoming process. Those rehoming organisations that choose to participate in the scheme will receive specific benefits to support those rehoming activities, things like discounts for desexing and some of the other things that were included in that earlier scheme to make it cheaper for them to find forever homes for these furry friends.

Rehoming organisations that do not participate in the new scheme can continue to do what they do, as they have always done, but they will not receive those same benefits that we are putting through. Just to go a little bit further into some of those benefits that they can expect if they do join this, if they voluntarily participate in the scheme, they will have an exemption from registering foster cats and dogs with local council for the first 12 months while they are in foster care. They will have the authority to hold dog and cat adoption days at registered animal pounds, shelters and pet shops, which is really good. If anyone has ever been to one of their local pet shops on a foster day, it is a lot of fun. It is really hard not to walk away with three cats, but there are lots of people out there who want to help find a home for these furry friends.

One of the things, as someone who has helped rehome an animal, is getting source numbers via the pet exchange register. There will be a three-year no-cost source number for those organisations, and they will have limited access to the declared dog register to make sure that dogs they may be helping to rehome – particularly some that might have been surrendered – can be checked for their status to make sure that they are ready and okay to be rehomed with families.

I want to move briefly to some of the other things. The 2025–26 state budget provided $16.7 million over two years towards the future of Victoria’s agricultural sector and supporting animal welfare, including significant funding for RSPCA Victoria in addition to the regular funding that they receive each year from government. This substantial increase in funding will support RSPCA Victoria to continue to deliver critical animal welfare regulatory services while getting to that two-up model, which is a really important community safety measure for some of our inspectors.

I want to turn briefly to the safety aspects of that inspection process. We know that the relationship between violence and animal welfare is so close. There is a high probability that if someone is experiencing violence, there is an animal in that household that has also had violence directed towards them. Our RSPCA inspectors are the front line between this abuse of animals and violence towards humans, and it cannot be understated. We must always remember the life of Stuart Fairlie, who was murdered while undertaking his duties as an inspector in Mortlake in 1989. This is why I commend that clarification. It is a small clarification but really important to support the work of these brave inspectors.

The powers that our inspectors have with the RSPCA – they are some of the few authorised officers in the state that have this kind of power of entry. In a previous life, working closely with police, RSPCA inspectors in some cases had powers of entry that were mirrored only by sworn police officers, so it is really important to clarify what that looks like. This clarifies those powers of entry and makes sure that places like backyards can be classified as somewhere that they can enter without a warrant.

The role of our RSPCA inspectorate is a vital part of our entire community safety framework, and making sure they are confident in the powers they have in exercising these critical duties is important not just for the animals they protect but also for the humans that they encounter along the way. These reforms are another step in making sure that our system continues to be robust and puts not only the lives of people and their wellbeing first but also the lives of our furry friends, making sure that they can live the best lives that they can. In conclusion, I commend the bill to the house.

Chris CREWTHER (Mornington) (12:28): I rise today to speak on the Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Bill 2025. Let me first begin where this debate truly starts, not with clauses and subclauses but with the people – the volunteers, the foster carers and rescue organisations who open their homes, their weekends and their bank accounts so that cats and dogs, and indeed many other animals, get a second chance or indeed a first chance. These people are the backbone of Victoria’s rehoming system. Our position is clear: we will not oppose the bill. It makes some improvements on a voluntary registration framework that, by the government’s own history, has not worked. But we will seek sensible amendments to keep what is good, fix what is weak and ensure we do not unintentionally reduce rehoming capacity or increase euthanasia.

I want to mention some of my own experiences with animals and pets, because I do understand the bonds that pets form which shape our lives. They are much needed in many cases, such as for company and to reduce isolation and so forth and for those dealing with PTSD, blindness and much more. We have our own cat, Jase, who is a couple of years old now, who we got from Mornington Moggie Rescue. They do a terrific job in my local area. I got Jase as a rescue cat for my daughter’s eighth birthday a couple of years ago. It was not quite with the permission of my better half, who was not too keen on cats, but our daughter’s wishes sort of trumped that in some regard. But I grew up in Horsham in western Victoria surrounded by a number of pets. I must say, I am a bit more of cat person than a dog person. I grew up with many cats: Sooty, Sam, Tammie – who lived to around 20 years of age – Ginger, Salem and Miko. I also had a little dog called Shea.

So I do know and understand the benefits that pets bring to our lives, and many of us here in this chamber would have similar experiences as well.

On the positives of this bill, credit should be given where it is due. Establishing a voluntary pet rehoming organisation authorisation scheme creates a coherent pathway for rescue organisations to be recognised. Three-year authorisations will reduce churn, access to grants can help offset compliance costs and allowing adoption days to prescribed domestic animal businesses broadens the places where animals can find homes. The bill also clarifies that authorised officers can enter backyards to seize a dangerous dog, while leaving intact the warrant requirement for entry to a dwelling or vehicle used as a residence. These clarifications reflect issues councils have long raised. However, there are also uncertainties.

That all being said, the test is not just today in the chamber or in Parliament if the bill passes or not; the true test is if more animals are rehomed and fewer are euthanised. On that test, the concerns put to us by the sector are serious and well evidenced. From Victorian Dog Rescue, president Trisha Taylor has warned that a longstanding practical interpretation of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 that rescues can take unmicrochipped and undesexed animals from pounds and act as the pound’s agent to complete vet work has been reinterpreted by the bureaucracy. For 14 years that practice has saved countless animals. If that door is quietly closed, pounds that lack resources will or may revert to euthanasia rather than incur time and expense. Why does the government refuse to clarify it when ambiguity keeps resurfacing? This bill should put that matter beyond doubt.

From Gumtree Greys, Jeanette Danos has written to me outlining concrete risks that will choke volunteer capacity. For example, there are reporting burdens: multiple seven-day notifications to councils or a register for each animal – on intake, turning three months, changes of address and adoption – meaning three to nine or more touchpoints per animal. Small volunteer-run rescues simply do not have the capacity for paid compliance staff. On penalties and fees, each missed notification attracts fines in the hundreds of dollars, plus there are concerns that the bill enables future application fees. Replacing the $6 foster carer fee with $60 to $150 fees per animal shifts costs from councils and carers onto rescues, right where there is the least capacity to pay. She also raised privacy and personal risks: publishing additional ‘responsible persons’ details will deter, she says, volunteers and committee members, especially in unincorporated associations, where personal liability can already be acute. She also mentioned the expanded powers of entry, saying warrantless entry to backyards, garages, sheds and vehicles – not dwellings – has spooked foster carers, who have always complied with reasonable inspections. Without better guardrails and guidance, we risk pushing carers away. Their proposals, on the other hand, are practical and straightforward – for example, they propose creating a single state register to centralise reporting, let rescues submit returns monthly rather than every seven days, keep the low-cost foster registration option so smaller rescues are not pushed out, separate funding eligibility from scheme enrolment and provide basic training and tech tools to make compliance easier.

Most importantly, they want to guarantee that the scheme will remain truly voluntary so it cannot become mandatory by stealth through new regulations or by limiting section 84Y agreements. On section 84Y, which governs council agreements with rescues, vets and other groups, there is a genuine fear, backed up by ministerial correspondence, that future regulations could limit these agreements to only those rescues that sign up for authorisation. That would effectively make the scheme compulsory. Right now, the law clearly allows councils to partner with a ‘person or body’ – including shelters, vets, community foster care networks and carers – to give animals as many rehoming options as possible. If the government wants to formalise certain classes of partners in regulations, then this bill should also explicitly protect councils’ ability to work with skilled unauthorised rescues when it is in the best interests of the animals.

At its heart, though, this debate is not just about legislation or compliance deadlines but about compassion. Every pet in a pound is there, mostly, because of human choices, and society has a moral responsibility to ensure those animals are given safety, care and a second chance. The volunteers and foster carers who step up are not just ticking boxes; they are opening their homes and their hearts to creatures that would otherwise have no voice.

Supporting rehoming therefore is not just about bureaucracy, it is an expression of the values we hold as a community and society: kindness, responsibility and respect for life. On this point I just want to mention a number of local organisations who do a terrific job in the Mornington electorate and beyond, working tirelessly day in and day out to protect, rehabilitate and rehome animals. Of course we have the RSPCA, who operate across Victoria but also in my electorate. While they are underfunded and under-resourced currently, they still have a very important role with enforcement related to cruelty in our communities, supporting pet owners and rehoming countless animals. Community groups like Save Kangaroos on the Mornington Peninsula and the Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation Group are champions of our local wildlife as well, leading advocacy, habitat protection and more. We also have so many animal rescue organisations, including Mornington Peninsula Dog Rescue Inc, Mornington Moggie Rescue – where I got our cat from – and Peninsula Cat Rescue, as well as sanctuaries that take care of our animals, like the Briars wildlife sanctuary, Animalia Wildlife Shelter, Agapi’s sanctuary for birds and so many more, looking after dogs, cats and other animals. We also acknowledge the essential role of the Mornington animal shelter and pound, our council-run shelter, which is very important, and we hope that animals can be rehomed from there.

Local pet stores have stepped up as well. Petbarn Mornington, Petstock Mornington, Best Friends Pets Mornington and so many others actively partner with rescue groups, host adoption programs and help families connect with their new furry friends. In wildlife care we are also fortunate to have world-class organisations right here at our doorstep, like AWARE Wildlife Rescue, Animalia Wildlife Shelter and Wildlife Help on the Mornington Peninsula, WHOMP, who provide around-the-clock emergency services and care for injured, sick and orphaned animals of a variety of kinds, while of course Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park, right nearby my electorate, is a leader in threatened species conservation and education.

It does not just end with animal rescue. Animals need constant nurture and care. Groups like the Mornington Peninsula Community Dog Club and Mornington Obedience Dog Club do vital work in this space, and the latter I have been working with to find a new facility for the last few months. Also, our catteries and kennels do a great job. Treetops Cattery in Moorooduc looks after our cat Jase on a regular basis and so many other cats when their owners are away. We also have a snake catcher in Mornington, Barry, who has been described as professional, proficient and more. Thanks to all these local organisations.

Ella GEORGE (Lara) (12:38): It has been a joy to hear other members’ contributions on the Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Bill 2025. I have loved hearing about everyone’s pets and their passion for animal welfare. I would like to acknowledge the Minister for Agriculture and her team for their work on this important piece of legislation. Some policies should be kept in the doghouse, but this is not one of them. This reform is the next part of our government’s work in strengthening animal welfare in Victoria. The member for Werribee earlier spoke passionately about our work in banning puppy farms in Victoria. That was an important first step, and the work that we are seeing being done today, led by the Minister for Agriculture, is that next stage in reform in terms of making sure that all animals – cats and dogs and their furry friends – are kept safe in our state.

This bill is delivering on our commitment to implement the recommendations of the Taskforce On Rehoming Pets. This taskforce was established to investigate and recommend ways in which we could improve and further support the rehoming of cats and dogs in Victoria. The amendments in this bill deliver on five of these recommendations and will establish a regulatory framework for pet rehoming organisations in Victoria. The framework will introduce a voluntary benefits-based authorisation scheme for these services, and this scheme will achieve two key things. Firstly, it will create specific benefits for registered services, which will reduce the financial burden and enhance rehoming opportunities for animals that these organisations assist. This bill will also add a requirement for a pet rehoming information register to be kept and maintained by the secretary. This will ensure that there is a record of registrations for pet rehoming organisations that are granted, renewed or cancelled.

It will also ensure that there are certain requirements that registered organisations must meet. These will include the reporting of the locations under the care of these services and may include things like mandatory pre-adoption activities, such as desexing and vaccination, or the reporting of animal fate data. This will provide a consistency of requirements across all pet rehoming services and mean that we have a clear picture of where these animals are and how they are being rehomed.

The bill will also repeal the current voluntary foster care registration scheme, which has had a very low uptake since introduction, and replace it with the pet rehoming authorisation scheme. This acknowledges the sector identified a need to recognise organisations that are rehoming cats and dogs and not just the individual foster carers. Foster carers play a huge role in looking after animals while they are awaiting transition to their forever homes, and this valuable role will always continue. But these changes will remove some of the admin that is currently required of volunteers and also recognise the critical role that pet rehoming organisations play.

This bill will also add some further clarity to the powers of entry for authorised officers to determine compliance with the Domestic Animals Act 1994. The bill will clarify that authorised officers can enter a residential backyard, but it will exclude any building or vehicle used as a residence. Current arrangements have led to some uncertainty about the phrase ‘premises not occupied as a place of residence’, and this amendment provides clarification that backyards are indeed accessible without a warrant for the purpose of seizing a dangerous dog. This bill will also amend the Domestic Animals Act to clarify that a specific class of dog entitled to reduced registration fee can be prescribed in the regulations.

In March 2021 the Minister for Agriculture established the Taskforce on Rehoming Pets to investigate and provide recommendations to government on how to improve pet rehoming pathways in Victoria. In December of that year the taskforce provided its final report and recommendations to the minister. This Taskforce on Rehoming Pets was convened specifically to investigate and provide recommendations on how to improve pet welfare, in particular to improve pet rehoming pathways and survival rates. The taskforce has considered what systems can be implemented for successful rehoming of cats and dogs with no medical conditions or behavioural traits, such as anxiety; how to improve the transparency in the movement of animals between shelters, pounds, community foster care networks and rescue groups; and how to establish a regulatory framework for rescue groups to further professionalise the service. Importantly, the taskforce also considered rehoming opportunities for animals used in medical research and teaching. These are important recommendations, and I am so pleased to be standing here today making a contribution on this bill and to see that the government is acting on these recommendations.

[NAMES AWAITING VERIFICATION]

Like many in this place, this bill is one that is close to my heart. Anyone who knows me well knows that my heart has been totally captivated by my best friend, my dog Blue. Blue is a kelpie collie who I adopted from the Geelong Animal Welfare Society (GAWS) in 2022. He was three and a half. Blue loves the beach, walks, hugs, treats and playing with other dogs. We are regulars at the dog park, and I think he has more friends than me. I shout out to Marley, Cricket, Lulu, Delilah, Ziggy, Ziggy number 2, Tilly, Flora and all of the dogs that we play with across Geelong. Many of these dogs are adopted too and have beautiful stories of being rehomed with their forever families.

During sitting weeks Blue stays with my parents, fondly known as his ‘grandpawrents’, and right now I reckon he is lurking around the kitchen hoping for a snack to fall into his mouth while my dad makes lunch. He loves staying with them at the holiday house. Blue also loves visiting the office and spending time with his aunties and uncles, my wonderful electorate office staff, who spoil him with plenty of pats and lunch leftovers. He loves going from bin to bin just to check if something might have fallen in there after everyone has finished their lunch for the day. But most of all he loves being by my side no matter what I am doing. I firmly believe that Blue has given me far more than I will ever give him. He is my constant companion, and the unconditional love he provides me is second to none. On top of that, he makes sure that I get my 10,000 steps in a day as he makes sure we get outdoors and have a play no matter the weather.

It is thanks to the Geelong Animal Welfare Society that I get to have this incredible connection with Blue. The team there are amazing, and they work tirelessly each and every day helping more and more animals across our region, offering animal management services, a vet clinic and an animal shelter. I note that they desexed and vaccinated Blue, making sure that he was ready for his forever home when I had the pleasure of picking him up.

Just recently the team at GAWS were faced with a distressing animal welfare case when 67 dogs were unexpectedly surrendered to them after living in unthinkable conditions. GAWS were able to step in and care for these animals on their journey, to improve their health and so they live a better life. They often care for animals until they can be reunited with their owners or rehomed, like Blue was, into their new forever homes. The Geelong Animal Welfare Society provided a written submission to the Taskforce on Rehoming Pets and were one of a wide range of industry and community stakeholders, including foster care networks and rescue groups, shelters and pound operators, vets and vet staff, councils, animal welfare stakeholders and the general public, and I thank them for their submission and their contribution to this important work.

I also thank them for the work they do across Geelong and our wider community. Rehabilitating dogs is not easy, and I cannot imagine how hard it would be to unexpectedly receive 67 dogs with all kinds of medical conditions, all kinds of health conditions and broken hearts. Rehabilitation takes hard work and dedication. In Blue’s case it was months before he could fully trust me. It was not easy for either of us. It took a lot of hard work, but it was absolutely worth it. Now, having had many pets, growing up with dogs and cats, I would only ever adopt. We adopted our first family cat, Tom. He was born in an alley about 20 years ago now; he has, sadly, since passed away. And my sister and her partner have recently adopted a beautiful cat called Finny, which is short for Muffins. They decided that Finny was a more appropriate name, and they renamed him. Finny is a remarkable cat, just this little fella. He had made the journey from Werribee, where he was originally microchipped, to the Mornington vet practice where my sister’s partner works. That is remarkable resilience on Finny’s part, and we love having Finny as part of the family. He has brought so much joy to my sister and her partner, the exact same joy that Blue has brought to me.

Our government is committed to animal welfare. We have backed up this commitment in the recent state budget by committing over $16 million over two years towards safeguarding Victoria’s agricultural sector and supporting animal welfare. With the time I have left, once again, I would like to thank the animal welfare service organisations like the Geelong Animal Welfare Society and Geelong Animal Rescue, who do so much important work in our community. A special shout-out to the RSPCA. They do amazing work across the state but more recently have been running desexing and health clinics in Norlane at the Norlane Community Centre, helping many families who have wonderful pets that they love and who might not have otherwise been able to afford the services. That is commendable work. This is an important piece of legislation. I am so pleased to make a contribution, and I commend the bill to the house.

Peter WALSH (Murray Plains) (12:48): I rise to make a contribution on the Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Bill 2025. This bill is hopefully the culmination – although not everyone is happy with it – of probably 15 to 20 years of progress over these particular issues and is particularly here to address changes to the Domestic Animals Amendment (Puppy Farms and Pet Shops) Act 2017. The bill at the time, in 2016, came out of very heated debates around the issue of domestic animals at that particular time and particularly a campaign run by Deb Tranter called Oscar’s Law about a dog called Oscar that had been in a pet farm and, quite unjustifiably, had been treated very, very poorly. So there was a lot of politics that went behind the two pieces of legislation at that particular time.

If you look at the Domestic Animals Amendment (Puppy Farms and Pet Shops) Bill, which was introduced back then in 2016, it was actually introduced by the now Premier, who was Minister for Public Transport at the time. The reason it was introduced by the now Premier was that the Minister for Agriculture was in the upper house. That bill was very politically motivated – to solve a campaign that had been run leading up to and during the 2014 election. After that legislation was introduced – because in the opinion of a lot of people it was rushed through and did not necessarily have good consultation – there was an upper house inquiry set up to look at that particular piece of legislation, and that upper house inquiry had some significant findings. It has taken a long time – since that report back in October 2016 to now – for these changes to actually come forward. That report on the inquiry of the upper house Economy and Infrastructure Committee found that of great concern to the committee were the issues raised in the hearings and in the correspondence about the seeming lack of general consultation on the bill.

Yes, there was a political imperative for the government of the day to have legislation to meet the commitments they had made through the 2014 election. But I am not sure, if you believe those that submitted to the upper house inquiry, that they actually went out and talked to the particular stakeholders that are necessary to talk to on whatever legislation it is. In this case, a lot of domestic animal issues are managed by local government, and there was a concern at the time expressed by the Municipal Association of Victoria that they were not properly consulted on this bill. I hope that has now been corrected with the current bill that we have before the house.

I do not envy the minister with this legislation or for having this responsibility as part of the portfolio, but domestic animal issues and rehoming and managing them are at the intersection of people who care a lot about animals and are very, very well intentioned but do not necessarily have the capability to run an organisation to rehome animals and do not necessarily have the financial wherewithal to pay for the cost of desexing and the management of animals as they try to rehome them. It is an issue of how the government of the day and we as legislators make legislation that best helps those who have the best intentions to look after and rehome animals but make sure there is some accountability so that things are done properly. The main recommendation from that upper house inquiry was that the government actually withdraw the bill and go back and redraft a new bill, which is in some ways what we have got before us today. This is actually correcting some of the issues that came out of that particular bill.

Some of the recommendations by that upper house inquiry were, as I said, that the bill should be withdrawn and we should immediately establish a stakeholder working group of industry, municipalities and community representatives to consult on the drafting of a new bill; and the state government should provide additional funding to local government to make sure there is enough money there to enforce current legislation, because as I said, local government is at the intersection of these particular issues. We see from our local government annual reports, which we read as local members, that the cost of running pounds and the cost of running compliance are quite significant for local government, even with the fees they collect from the registration of dogs and cats. As most members in this house would know, the issue is not with the dogs and cats that are registered, the issue is with the dogs and cats that are not registered, particularly with cats and the breeding of feral cats and the problems they cause in society.

This bill does not necessarily make everyone happy. I have had a long email from Ruth Glanville in my electorate, who does do animal rescue, and she is quite concerned that this does not help her particular organisation. She believes the rescue sector has been denied assistance to regulate themselves, although it gives groups like Dogs Victoria and profit-making bodies more power. She talks about the issue I raised before about the challenges for organisations who do not have the financial wherewithal to run. She believes it is unclear if these rescue groups do not join the voluntary organisation scheme what rights they will retain under section 84Y agreements with pounds to take un-desexed and microchipped dogs and cats, or if they are not in the voluntary organisation scheme whether they will be able to hold adoption days to try and make sure there is a home found for those particular animals and have the organisation’s name on a microchip recorded rather than the individual’s. Again, these are very, very well-intentioned individuals, but they do not necessarily want the liability of having these issues to manage themselves. Her comment was that it is terribly concerning for her what is in this particular bill. She asked me to make sure that I brought her views to the house and put that forward. She just does not believe that their small group will be able to achieve more under this legislation than under the previous legislation.

The fact is that there were a number of animal rescue groups in the Echuca region, but now it is down to this one particular group that is there because there are just not enough people that are prepared to work through the processes of being registered, doing all the compliance and paying the costs of doing that. As I said, they are very well-intentioned people who want to see the best for pets.

I noticed that a lot of people have used the opportunity when speaking on this bill in the house to talk about their particular animals. Listening to the debate, one of the things that I think is really commendable is that a lot of people now are taking rescue dogs or rescue cats. The changes in that puppy farm legislation of 2015 mean that the cost of buying a bred dog now is not insignificant. So a lot of people cannot afford to go and buy a particular dog, but they can go to a rescue shelter and actually take a rescue dog.

I think it is commendable that people have changed their philosophy about how they actually get their pet dogs, because one of the challenges that was identified through this whole process from 2010 through to 2015 was that with pet shops selling pups come Christmas time or come someone’s birthday – the little pup in the window of a pet shop looks absolutely beautiful; you would love it to death – people would buy a pet for their children for Christmas or buy a pet for a child for their particular birthday. But that dog grows up, and when you buy a dog or when you take a dog, you take it for life. That was why there was such an issue with rehoming dogs and dogs being abandoned. Three or four months after Christmas, when those dogs had started to grow up, when they were probably, with the exuberance that pups have, a nuisance around the house, they were being abandoned or farmed out. I think one of the changes about having people make a deliberate choice to go to a dog breeder to buy the particular dog they want or to go and get a rescue dog takes away that impulse buying when they see a gorgeous little puppy in the window of a pet shop and think they want it but do not realise that they have a responsibility for the rest of the life of that dog. Sometimes that takes hard work, and you have got to make sure you look after it well, which a lot of people are not prepared for.

We will not be opposing this particular legislation, but I would like it noted that I raised Ruth’s concerns about this particular legislation, as her local member.

Bronwyn HALFPENNY (Thomastown) (12:58): It is a great pleasure to rise to speak in favour of this Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Bill 2025. It is disappointing that I will not have a lot of time to speak on the bill. The amendments that this bill details have really arisen from recommendations from the Taskforce on Rehoming Pets, which reported in December 2021 after quite a lot of extensive consultation with animal welfare groups, rescue shelters and rehoming organisations. While it is acknowledged that there has been some concern, I think a lot of those concerns will hopefully be addressed in the regulations, because this bill is the framework around the dog and cat rehoming industry. Underpinning that will be a whole lot of other regulations to implement the program.

In Thomastown I have seen an increase in the number of residents wandering around the streets with pets – walking their dogs and looking after their cats. The Allan Labor government has funded many off-leash dog parks in the electorate now, and I can see that they are so popular with people – families, couples – going there to give their dogs a run and running around throwing the ball.

The rehoming industry has really developed. Originally it was just shelters and the pounds where lost, missing or abandoned dogs were kept, but now of course we have a whole lot of other organisations that do great work in supporting the rehoming of animals, particularly cats and dogs. They are bringing them in, they are looking after them, they are caring for them and then of course looking for good homes for these animals that have often been treated so terribly. This legislation is about acknowledging that great work that is being done in this area and acknowledging that we do need legislation to regulate it, because it has developed in a bit of an ad hoc way, even though of course everybody is extremely caring and well-meaning in the industry. The legislative framework that we are looking at here –

The ACTING SPEAKER (Kim O’Keeffe): Order! We will now suspend the house for lunch.

Sitting suspended 1:00 pm until 2:02 pm.

Business interrupted under standing orders.