New laws for cat and dog owners will come into effect on 1 July 2018.

The laws and rules include:

• Mandatory microchipping of cats and dogs -must be done by 12 weeks of age.
• Desexing of dogs and cats born after the 1 July 2018 – must be done by 6 months of age unless delayed by an exemption granted by the Dog and Cat Management Board under veterinary advice.
• Introduction of a statewide database, called Dogs and Cats Online – there will be no more council registration.
• There are new rules for breeders who sell dogs and cats.

These new laws will simplify dog registration processes, make it easier to reunite lost dogs and cats with their owners, and reduce the uncontrolled breeding of dogs and cats. This will improve overall animal welfare and reduce the numbers of healthy animals being euthanased.

For more information head to http://www.dogandcatboard.com.au/new-dog-and-cat-laws/