The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action invited the public to help shape Victoria’s new Domestic Animals Regulations. These rules cover breeding, sales, microchipping, dangerous and restricted breeds, cat management, greyhound laws, fees, and more. While the government’s proposal was to remake the regulations with only minor changes, the Animal Justice Party believes this moment demands ambitious, forward-thinking leadership for animal welfare.

Our submission draws on evidence, best practice, and clear community expectations. We call for:

• Stronger breeding and sales regulations to end puppy farming and the cycle of abandonment and euthanasia

• Mandatory desexing, better pet shop rules, and more support for struggling rescues and shelters

• Behaviour-based rules for dangerous and restricted breeds, phasing out unfair breed-specific restrictions

• Real action on cat overpopulation, including enabling humane solutions like Trap Neuter Return and fairer containment rules

• Ending outdated leash laws for greyhounds based on solid evidence

• Revenue from regulatory fees to go directly back into inspections, enforcement, education, and welfare outcomes

• Penalties tough enough to deter cruelty and bad practice

• Transparency through public reporting of compliance and outcomes

These reforms are essential for a regulatory system Victoria can be proud of, and one that genuinely protects animals and aligns with community values.

Why Was Our Submission So Extensive?

This once-in-a-decade review is a rare opportunity to shift from the status quo to best practice animal welfare. The AJP submission:

• Identifies entrenched weaknesses that allow animal suffering, overpopulation, and community distrust to persist

• Provides detailed recommendations backed by research, stakeholder input, and real-world outcomes from rescue partners and industry experts

• Calls out the risk of limiting the process to “administrative tweaks” and urges the Victorian Government to lead with ambition, compassion, and transparency

• Specifies changes across all areas: breeding, selling, identification, council enforcement, companion animal reunification, dangerous dog laws, cat management, greyhounds, fee structures, and reporting

Our supporters, members, and volunteers across Victoria expect the AJP to stand for every animal, not simply accept incremental change.

AJP response to the official survey questions

Q1. What are your views on the proposed fee changes?

The Animal Justice Party is concerned that, although the proposed fee changes are modest overall, they will disproportionately impact ethical operators such as small scale rescues, shelters, and community based organisations who already operate with limited resources. Increased fees risk discouraging compliance from these groups, while there is little evidence that they effectively deter non compliant or profit driven operators.

We recommend introducing fee waivers or reductions for not for profits and rescues, and strongly urge that all revenue from regulatory fees be transparently ring fenced for enforcement, inspections, and public education so that fees are tangibly linked to welfare outcomes. Fees should support responsible practice and improved welfare, not create barriers for those providing a public good.

Q2. Do you have any feedback or evidence on the potential outcomes or benefits from the proposed Regulations?

While acknowledging the intent for minimal change, the Animal Justice Party believes the remake of these Regulations presents a rare opportunity to address long standing weaknesses in Victoria’s domestic animal management framework. Without meaningful updates, chronic issues such as overbreeding, shelter crowding, unnecessary euthanasia, outdated breed specific restrictions, and limited public transparency are likely to persist for another decade.

Evidence from within Victoria and other jurisdictions demonstrates that reforms like mandatory desexing, behaviour based dog management (rather than breed specific rules), Trap Neuter Return (TNR) for unowned cats, and improved microchip traceability produce measurable benefits including lower euthanasia rates, increased reunifications, reduced community complaints, and greater public trust in regulation. Minor administrative amendments alone will not deliver these benefits.

Q3. Do you have any other comments?

The Animal Justice Party urges the Victorian Government to use this sunsetting review as an opportunity to embed best practice standards that reflect advances in animal welfare science and community expectations.

We recommend:

• Providing easier exemptions and support for Trap Neuter Return trials to humanely manage unowned cats

• Removing the blanket on leash law for greyhounds to align with evidence based, behaviour focused regulation

• Requiring higher welfare and enrichment standards in breeding facilities, along with more frequent, unannounced inspections

• Ensuring greater transparency in compliance, enforcement, and pound or shelter reporting

These reforms would ensure the Domestic Animals Regulations 2025 achieve not just administrative function, but genuine progress for animal welfare, public confidence, and environmental sustainability.

We encourage AJP supporters and the broader community to read, share, and continue advocating for strong protections for animals under law to achieve real and lasting change.

Our full, in-depth submission document, covering all key areas with analysis and detailed recommendations, is available to download below ⬇️⬇️