Consultation open on dog standards and guidelines

The WA Government has released the draft Standards and Guidelines for the Health and Welfare of Dogs for a two-month public consultation period.

The standards and guidelines support the Government’s Stop Puppy Farming initiative, and set out the minimum standards that owners and people in charge of dogs must follow to ensure the health and welfare of dogs kept in Western Australia.

The document also includes Mandatory Standards for Dog Breeding, which establish minimum requirements for the health and welfare of dogs used for breeding, and for their puppies.

Staff from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, RSPCA WA, the Australian Veterinary Association, the Murdoch University School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, and Dogs West have worked diligently and collaboratively on the standards and guidelines for more than a year.

In developing the document, the writing group worked to ensure the standards and guidelines reflect current science and contemporary attitudes about the humane treatment of dogs.

Source: WA Government