New laws will help make sure every puppy available in NSW comes from a responsible breeder. Photo: Kellie O’Brien.
Thinking about having “just one” litter before you desex your dog?
It could cost more time and money than you think under new laws in place from December.
The NSW Government now requires all dog breeders to have a breeder ID from the NSW Pet Registry, regardless of whether you’re planning one litter or 100.
The breeder ID along with the dog’s microchip number must appear on any advertisement to sell or give away a puppy.
The laws aim to strengthen animal welfare and prevent puppy farming across NSW.
Female dogs are limited to five litters in their lifetime, with no more than three by caesarean.
No more than 20 non-desexed female dogs older than six months can be kept on a property, unless the property owner has an exemption.
There must be one staff member present for every 20 dogs on a property.
Dr Luke Michel from Coastal Vet Collective said the changes were a move in the right direction.
“It is a bit of extra admin for people who are doing the right thing, but anything we can do to stop puppy farming helps,” he said.
“The requirement to desex a dog after five litters or three caesareans is going to prevent accidental pregnancies, especially in older dogs.
“It means some later-age desexing which can be tricky, but it also helps prevent health problems later in life.
“The more caesareans a dog has the more difficult the surgery becomes after the dog has gone through the healing process. It’s hard on the dog, too.”
These changes apply to everyone who breeds dogs, whether you’re a registered breeder or have a one-off accidental litter.
Dr Michel said he hoped the changes would motivate dog owners to get their dog desexed if they didn’t intend to breed them.
“There is a lot of work that goes into having a healthy litter of puppies,” he said.
“A lot more time and money goes into it than people think – you might have a healthy pregnancy, but then your dog needs an emergency caesarean in the middle of the night.
“It’s not cheap, and I think the extra admin will make people put more thought into it.”
Anyone who holds a voluntary breeder identification number has now automatically had their dog breeder eligibility status set to inactive.
To reactivate your status, you must log in to the NSW Pet Registry, update your details, and acknowledge the new terms and conditions.
This process can only be completed online.
For more information and resources, visit the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s Dog Welfare page.
