New dog breeder registration laws in Queensland were introduced to give prospective dog owners peace of mind when buying a puppy. The new dog breeder registration laws in Queensland has received a very positive response with more than 6500 breeders across the state have now signed up.
The new laws require every puppy born on or after 26 May 2017 to have a supply number from the register that provides lifetime traceability of its origin. The new laws apply to regular, occasional and accidental breeders, with specific exceptions for genuine working dog breeders. Anyone who has a female dog with puppies born on or after 26 May 2017 is required to register with the Queensland Dog Breeder Register for a supply number, which must be included with every dog that is given away, sold or advertised.
Families looking to buy a puppy can search for a supply number of a breeder using the online Queensland Dog Breeder Register to obtain information about that breeder.
Chief Biosecurity Officer, Dr Jim Thompson, from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries urges the Queensland community to only buy dogs from responsible dog breeders and that the new laws provide the tools to locate operators who place profit before welfare.
“We’re encouraging Queensland buyers to only accept dogs with a valid supply number, whether they are looking for a dog at a pet shop, from a professional kennel, through an advertisement, online – or interstate.” he said.
The Queensland community has reported almost 500 concerns about dog breeders that have been automatically referred to the relevant authority for processing. Most reported concerns have related to supply numbers not being included in dog advertisements, particularly online. In many cases, the offending advertisements have already been removed by the time the investigating officer follows them up.
For the first time, state and local government agencies, and animal welfare and industry groups have the tools to instantly pool their intelligence, thereby streamlining the process for handling animal management and welfare complaints and identifying unscrupulous breeders.
Gumtree has been very supportive of the dog breeder registration legislation too, writing the new dog advertising requirements into its Pets Policies – all dog ads must include a valid supply number. If you see an ad on Gumtree without a valid supply number, please report the ad directly to Gumtree for review.
To find out more about dog breeder registration laws in Queensland, please visit the Biosecurity Queensland website at biosecurity.qld.gov.au or call 13 25 23. FAQs about dog breeder registration.
Download our Fact Sheet for the 10 questions to ask a breeder before buying a puppy.