Currently in Tasmania, the management of dogs and their welfare is legislated under the Animal Welfare Act 1993, Animal Welfare (Dog) Regulations 2016 and 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 Animal Welfare (Dog) Regulations 2016 and 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 was 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 submissions received from public consultation are published in the following document:
Tasmanian Dog Welfare Review 2024-2025 Submissions (PDF 20Mb)
The input received from public submissions and compiled in the consultation report informed development of a Position Paper on dog welfare legislation. This paper outlines the Government’s position on proposed new Animal Welfare (Dogs) Regulations and amendments to the Dog Control Act 2000. The paper can be accessed below, and work will now begin on the legislative changes.
Position Paper on Dog Welfare Legislation in Tasmania (October 2025) (PDF 521Kb)
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