Compulsory microchipping in NSW
Summary
The Companion Animals Act 1998 was the most widely debated Act in NSW parliamentary history, with two days' debate and attracting over 10,000 submissions.To highlight the complexity of urban animal management issues, the Companion Animals Act 1998 was the most widely debated Act in NSW parliamentary history, with two days’ debate and attracting over 10,000 submissions.
This paper outlines that:
· NSW was the first jurisdiction to introduce compulsory microchipping of dogs and cats
· For the first time the Act applies to all NSW councils
· Cats were recognised under legislation and councils were given powers to deal with them.
· After six years’ implementation of the Act trends show increases in desexing rates, reunions with owners and registrations along with a decrease in euthanasia rates from 61% to 41%
· In 204/05, while the number of dogs impounded rose, there was a 26.19% increase in the number of animals reunited with their owners
· The lower cost of lifetime registration is considered a good legislative strategy to encourage owners to desex their pets
· Microchipping has increased collaboration between councils, breed and rescue organisations in rehoming unclaimed cats and dogs
Views are given of some computer fields in the Companion Animals Register. The register has proved a valuable tool in enforcement of the Act. It has WAP-enabled technology for remote access and additional fields for breed, temperament, dangerous dogs, dog attack and pound data. Downsides to a fully functioning register are that reporting has been relatively poor as not every council uses all the fields and owners may fail to notify change of address and/or change of pet ownership.
Overall it is believed that compulsory microchipping has achieved a positive impact on both pets and responsible companion animal ownership in NSW.