A Multiple Cat Permit - Foster is required by any person who keeps more than four (4) cats over the age of four months where:
- the person may have cat/s that permanently live at the property (owned or taking care of by the person); and
- the person also keeps (or may keep) cats temporarily through a foster program with a shelter or rescue; and
- the person does not rehome cats (unless rehoming a cat owned by the person); and
- none of the other exceptions under the Cat Management Act 2009 apply.
How to apply for a multiple cat permit
Complete the online Multiple Cat Permit - Individual or Foster application form and hit submit.
When completing the application form:
- All mandatory fields must be completed.
- Provide the name of the shelter/rescue/person for whom you are keeping cats temporarily.
- Identify the number of cats that permanently live at the property to be listed on the permit.
- Provide evidence of desexing and microchipping for all cats that permanently live at the property, by attaching document evidence to the application when submitted or supply by emailing to catmanagement@nre.tas.gov.au within 30 days of submitting the application.
- Identify the maximum number of cats that will be kept temporarily on the property to which the permit relates.
- Declarations must be made honestly.
It is important that the applicant understands all the conditions of the Multiple Cat Permit - Foster.
If a person needing to hold a Multiple Cat Permit - Foster is unable to meet all the conditions of the permit, an application can still be submitted. In the ‘additional information’ section on the application form, identify which condition/s cannot currently be met and what actions are being taken to be able to meet all the conditions. Once the application is received, Biosecurity Tasmania will contact the applicant to discuss the circumstances.
Conditions of a Multiple Cat Permit - Foster
The issuing of the Multiple Cat Permit - Foster is subject to the conditions as detailed below. All conditions must be met. Failing to meet any one condition may result in the multiple cat permit being cancelled.
- Desexing of cats kept as part of a foster care program: All cats kept under this multiple cat permit as part of a foster program for a shelter/rescue must be desexed as soon as practicable after coming into the care of the shelter/rescue.
- Desexing of cats kept that are not part of a foster care program: Any cat permanently residing at the property (not part of a foster care program) identified on this permit must be desexed. Evidence in the form of a desexing certificate, or a letter from a veterinary surgeon, must be provided to an authorised person on request. Exceptions to this condition are in accordance with section 14(2) of the Cat Management Act 2009.
- Separation of cats over the age of four (4) months not desexed: Cats over the age of four (4) months that have yet to be desexed are to be kept separate from entire cats of the opposite sex until such as time as the cat has been desexed.
- Microchipping of cats kept as part of a foster care program: All cats kept under the multiple cat permit as part of a foster care program for a shelter/rescue must be implanted with a microchip as soon as practicable after coming into the care of the shelter/rescue.
- Microchipping of cats kept that are not part of a foster care program: Any cat permanently residing at the property identified on this permit must be microchipped. Evidence in the form of a current microchip registration must be provided to an authorised person on request. Exceptions to this condition are in accordance with section 12(2) of the Cat Management Act 2009.
- Records: The holder of this permit is to keep the following records for any cat kept under this permit as part of a foster care program for a shelter/rescue holding a valid multiple cat permit-Organisation or has submitted an application for a multiple cat permit:
- Unique microchip number and/or identifier (e.g., number/name)
- Behavioural/observational records
- Arrival and departure dates
- Rehoming: Cats kept under this multiple cat permit as part of a foster care program are not to be rehomed (includes selling and giving away) by the holder of this permit. They are to be returned to the person running the foster care program for the purpose of being rehomed.
- Cats to be contained on the individual property: All cats kept under this multiple cat permit must not be permitted to enter or remain in any other property or premises without permission from the owner or occupier of the property.
- Exceeding permitted number of cats: The number of cats kept on the property must not exceed the number for which this multiple cat permit is granted. Exceptions to this condition are in accordance with section 16A(3)(b) – (f) of the Cat Management Act 2009.
- Compliance with legislation and by-laws: All cats kept under the multiple cat permit must be kept in accordance with the requirements of the Cat Management Act 2009, the Animal Welfare Act 1993, relevant subordinate legislation, and relevant municipal council by-laws in relation to the keeping of animals.
- Permission for inspection: The permit holder must make the premises (including residential buildings) available for inspection by an authorised person at any reasonable time deemed necessary by a person authorised under the Cat Management Act 2009.
- Production of multiple cat permit: A valid multiple cat permit must be retained and produced for inspection by arrangement at the request of a person authorised under the Cat Management Act 2009.
- Health conditions: Living conditions at the identified property must not cause, or be likely to cause, danger or harm to the health and safety or welfare of any cat or person residing at the identified property.
- Update The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas): The permit holder must advise NRE Tas of any changes to their contact details (including phone number, email and postal address), the address the cats are being kept, and any changes to the cats listed on the permit within 14 days by emailing catmanagement@nre.tas.gov.au or phoning 1300 368 550.
The Secretary NRE Tas, may vary or cancel a multiple cat permit, as per Section 16C and 16D of the Cat Management Act 2009.
Types of evidence that can be provided as proof of desexing and microchipping
Evidence of desexing may include:
- Sterilisation certificate issued and/or signed by a registered veterinarian.
- Certificate of desexing issued and/or signed by a registered veterinarian.
- Invoice identifying the cat by name and/or microchip number where one of the items on the invoice is spaying or desexing.
- Microchip registration certificate (or document) that identifies the cat as being desexed/neutered/spayed (can be obtained through the microchip registration database the cat’s microchip is registered to).
- Letter from a registered veterinarian stating that they have observed the desexing tattoo in the left ear of the cat identified by name and microchip number or they are able to determine (in any other way they are comfortable with) that the cat is desexed.
- Pet passport for the cat which identifies the cat is desexed (name and/or microchip number of the cat must be shown on the same page).
Evidence of microchipping may include:
- Sterilisation certificate or desexing certificate issued or signed by a registered veterinarian which includes the microchip number as well as the name of the cat.
- Invoice from a veterinary surgeon for the cat that identifies the microchip number as well as the name of the cat.
- Vaccination documentation for the cat that identifies the microchip number as well as the name of the cat.
- Microchip registration certificate (or document) from the microchip registration database the cat’s microchip is registered to.
- Letter from a registered veterinarian or document on veterinarian letterhead with the microchip number against the cat’s name.
Important information:
If a cat’s name has changed to the name on any of the pieces of evidence, please ensure this is communicated on the application form.
How long will it take for me to get my multiple cat permit?
The initial assessment of a multiple cat permit will occur within approximately two (2) weeks of an application being assessed. There may be times that this timeframe is extended due to resourcing limitations.
Once the initial assessment has been conducted, the following steps will be taken:
- The applicant will be contacted by email or phone to arrange for a public notice to be published/displayed to inform their intention to hold a multiple cat permit. See information on the multiple cat permit page for further information on what the public notice is, how it is to be displayed and who will provide the notice. The duration of the notice display, and objection period is no less than 14 days.
- The Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania will contact the relevant local government area for which the application is located to consult on the application. The issuing of a multiple cat permit cannot result in a breach of a by-law enforced by the municipal local government. Local governments are given 30 days to respond to the consultation.
- The Secretary, Department of Natural Resoreces and Environment Tasmania may need to contact other stakeholders to assist with the assessment of the multiple cat permit application.
- The Secretary, Department of Natural Resoreces and Environment Tasmania during the assessment phase may require further information or conduct a site visit to gather further information to assess an application.
Once an application has been assessed, the applicant will be provided the outcome in writing.
Need to cancel or update the details of your Multiple Cat Permit - Foster?
It is a condition of the multiple cat permit that the permit holder must advise NRE Tas of any changes to their contact details (including phone number, email and postal address), the address the cats are being kept, and any changes to the cats and/or number of cats listed on the permit within 14 days by emailing catmanagement@nre.tas.gov.au or phoning 1300 368 550.
If the holder of a Multiple Cat Permit - Foster is no longer keeping more than four (4) cats, an email can be sent to catmanagement@nre.tas.gov.au with the multiple cat permit number in the subject line. The email should provide the following details: - An update/overview of what has changed since the multiple cat permit was granted.
- Identify the number of cats (if any) that are still in the applicant’s care (permanently or temporarily).
- List the names of any cats identified on the permit as permanently living on the property that have passed away or been rehomed and the names of the cats that are still being kept.
- Confirm any changes to the maximum number of cats temporarily being kept on the property.
Once it has been confirmed that a multiple cat permit is not required, NRE Tas will arrange for the multiple cat permit to be cancelled.
If the holder of a Multiple Cat Permit - Foster is keeping cats in excess of the number of cats permitted under their permit (due to owning extra cats or taking on extra foster cats (keeping cats temporarily)), a new Multiple Cat Permit - Individual or Foster application needs to be completed. Include your existing permit number in the ‘additional information’ section of the application form. To determine which multiple cat permit application form needs to be completed refer to the multiple cat permit page.
If the holder of a Multiple Cat Permit - Foster has moved or is moving to a new address and will be keeping more than four (4) cats over the age of four (4) months, you will need to submit a new multiple cat permit application. To determine which multiple cat permit application form needs to be completed refer to the multiple cat permit page. Send an email to catmanagement@nre.tas.gov.au advising of this change. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania will arrange for the existing permit to be cancelled. Want an update on your multiple cat permit application?
If you would like an update on the status of your multiple cat permit application, please email catmanagement@nre.tas.gov.au.
Further information
Please refer to our webpage multiple cat permits.