Select Committee on Dogs and Cats as Companion Animals

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:21): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Will the minister tell the council about the government's response to the Select Committee on Dogs and Cats and how the recommendations aim to improve conditions for animals and their owners?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:21): I thank the honourable member for his very important question. For many South Australians companion animals play a very important role in their daily lives. There is increasing evidence that the companionship of pets enriches people's lives and can contribute to improved health outcomes. That means it is incredibly upsetting when we see cases of animal cruelty in our community because these animals play such an important role in people's lives.

This government is committed to putting measures in place to improve the conditions for our companion animals and prevention of acts of cruelty and neglect. On 28 November 2012 the House of Assembly appointed a Select Committee on Dogs and Cats as Companion Animals. The select committee's final report was tabled in parliament on 3 July 2013. The final report suggests possible future regulatory and legislative measures to improve the trade in companion dogs and cats. It has also contributed to an ongoing dialogue on animal rights and animal welfare in our community.

The report provides 11 recommendations that the committee believes will contribute to the overall goals of eliminating cruelty to dogs and cats and reducing the numbers of unwanted animals being euthanased. I have now tabled the government's response to the committee's recommendations. When it comes to the welfare standards for breeding companion animals, we know that the majority of registered breeders in South Australia raise their animals in appropriate conditions. South Australians have made it very clear that they do not want to have puppy farms operating in our state. They do not want the price of buying an animal to come at the expense of that animal's welfare. As the report points out, it is currently not possible to be assured that a puppy does not come from a puppy farm unless the puppy is being purchased from a reputable breeder.

In the lead-up to the last state election, the Labor government outlined a clear vision for the next four years of government. Our Let's Keep Building South Australia election platform included a number of commitments which will help protect our animals, including companion cats and dogs. This government, unlike the federal Liberal government, will be true to its word. We will deliver our election commitments and our vision to keep building South Australia.

As part of our plan to protect our animals, this government will introduce a new code of practice to ensure that the pets have come from healthy and humane conditions. This code of practice will be developed in consultation with the community and industry and will target puppy farms and individuals who put profits before the welfare of the animals they breed.

The state government has long enjoyed a strong working relationship with the RSPCA, which does a fantastic job in protecting and advocating for the welfare of animals. To strengthen the invaluable role that the RSPCA performs, the government will increase its annual funding to the RSPCA to $1 million per year indexed into the future. It is also very important that the community is provided with clear and accurate information regarding responsible pet ownership and animal welfare. I will therefore be seeking advice from the Dog and Cat Management Board on whether existing materials can be updated to reflect industry standard information on pet ownership. This material can then be provided to potential owners before they make their final purchasing decision.

There are many benefits to desexing animals and it is because of these benefits that the government has long promoted it to pet owners. Desexing improves a dog's behaviour, particularly by decreasing aggressive behaviour, and it markedly reduces both cats' and dogs' wandering behaviour. The government, through the Dog and Cat Management Board, will continue to promote desexing to pet owners as a responsible measure in addressing pet behaviour and reducing the incidence of unwanted animals.

One of the key findings of the committee is that the traceability of dogs and cats is critical to reducing impounding and ultimately euthanasia rates of our companion animals. Microchipping is the easiest way of reuniting a lost dog or cat with their owner. In recognition of this, the government will introduce mechanisms to ensure that all cats and dogs sold through the commercial pet trade will be microchipped before being sold. A 12-month education campaign will accompany these changes to ensure that pet shops, breeders and prospective owners understand these changes.

In addition, the government has committed $200,000 to fund a business case to establish a single, publicly accessible database for all microchipped animals which will include details of an animal's breeder, pet trader and owner. Not only will this mean that animals can be reunited with their owners faster but a publicly accessible database will also enable cases of aggressive behaviour or health issues to be traced back to the breeder and trader so that measures can be put in place to check that puppies or kittens are not from a puppy farm.

I thank the committee for its final report on dogs and cats as companion animals and for its diligent and important work. This is a complicated area which inevitably invokes emotional responses from the community. Our objective, however, remains to eliminate cruelty to dogs and cats as much as we humanly can, and reduce the numbers of unwanted animals being euthanased.

Many issues highlighted in the report will require thorough and ongoing consultation with the community to ensure that state legislation and regulation effectively contribute to this objective. I am very pleased that the state government will soon implement a series of measures to address the key directions outlined in this report.