Strengthening the NT’s Animal Protection Laws
The NT Government is ensuring the NT has some of the strongest animal protection laws in Australia with amendments to the Animal Protection Act 2018 and Animal Protection Regulations 2022 introduced to NT Parliament today.
The proposed changes include:
- increasing penalties for minimum level care offending
- introduce new minimal level of care offence and increase penalties for cruelty offences
- clarify the requirements to
- restrain a dog when travelling in the back of a utility vehicle or in a trailer
- the use of electrical devices on animals
- introduce new laws for the possession and use of dog prong collars
- clarify and provide new authorised officer entry and inspection powers, including:
- additional powers to undertake inspections of places used in connection with a commercial purpose and places used for training and racing animals to ensure compliance with the Act
- the ability to enter a locked vehicle to rescue an animal
- the ability to collect samples from animals and things connected to an offence
- the ability to seek further information from a person to prove identity
- amend the Criminal Code Act 1983 to:
- introduce a new criminal offence to cover production, dissemination and possession of animal crush and bestiality material
- increase the maximum penalty for bestiality offence from 7 to 10 years imprisonment.
The NT Government is committed to strengthening animal welfare laws to ensure we are taking the right measures to safeguard the wellbeing of all animals in the NT.
These amendments will see the NT have some of the toughest animal protection laws in Australia.
The NT Government will continue to engage and work with industry and all community stakeholders to boost education and awareness of animal welfare and protection obligations.
The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Animal Welfare Branch work to prevent animal cruelty, conduct inspections, investigate offences and ensure animals in the NT are treated humanely.
If you suspect that an animal is being mistreated, call animal welfare on 1300 720 386 or email animalwelfare@nt.gov.au.
