Currently in Tasmania, the management of dogs and their welfare is achieved via the Animal Welfare (Dog) Regulations 2016 and the Dog Control Regulations 2021. These Regulations are underpinned by the Dog Control Act 2000.
There are also guidelines available to help inform businesses and the public on their obligations under the legislation:
Animal Welfare Guideline - Dogs (291Kb)
Improving Dog Welfare Outcomes in Tasmania
In late 2024, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas) initiated a public consultation process to gather stakeholder and community perspectives on potential amendments to the Dog Control Act 2000.
The consultation process was informed by a Discussion Paper that outlined key areas for potential reform. NRE Tas received 293 submissions from a broad range of stakeholders, including individual dog owners, animal welfare organisations, industry representatives, and the general public.
Following this public consultation process, a consultation summary report has been drafted. The primary objective of this analysis was to identify overarching sentiment, key themes, and specific suggestions. The report is available below:
Consultation Report on Improving Dog Welfare Outcomes in Tasmania (PDF 886Kb)
The input received from public submissions and compiled in this report will inform development of new Animal Welfare (Dogs) Regulations and an amendment to the Dog Control Act 2000.
The submissions received are published in the following document:
Tasmanian Dog Welfare Review 2024-2025 Submissions (PDF 20Mb)
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