The NSW Companion Animal (CA) Act and the CA Regulations should be reviewed by every pet owner. In addition, your local council webpage should be checked for refinements and additions, as these can be different from one Local Government Area (LGA) to another.
Unfortunately while some conditions in the CA Act and Regulations are straight forward, there are complexities “lurking” that may even challenge a legal advisor.
The NSW Government places obligations on cat owners, including to ensure they complete for their kitten/cat:
Identification including microchipping with the cat’s & owner’s details submitted before 12 weeks of age or being sold/transferred/given to a new owner,
Desexing before 4 months of age, related to the Annual Permit for owning a cat not desexed or not arranging for your cat to be desexed before 4 months of age.
Registration before 6 months of age with a one off lifetime pet registration $fee, and related to desexing and Annual Permit fee being triggered.
The CA Act includes that registration should occur before a cat reaches 6 months of age.
The CA Regulations include that registration should occur before a cat reaches 12 weeks of age.
In practice, the NSW government communicates that 6 months is the threshold.
Various exemptions and grace periods exist in the Companion Animals Act & Regulations including for:
- cats from council pounds, RSPCA, AWL NSW, CPS, & Rehoming Organisations’ cats taken in from council pounds;
- pensioners and others on social welfare as cat owners;
- cats for whom vets have provided in writing confirmation of medical issues which will delay desexing, and
- breeders.
RESOURCE LINKS
NSW Companion Animal Act, including exemptions https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1998-087
NSW Companion Animal Regulations, including exemptions https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2018-0441
NSW OLG re the $80 fee for an annual permit for undesexed cats, including those not desexed before 4 months of age
https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/councils/responsible-pet-ownership/nsw-pet-registry/annual-permits/
NSW OLG FAQs for the introduction of annual permits for non-desexed cats https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CA-Annual-permits-faq.pdf
LRC 