Like most people, I care about the proper treatment of animals whether they are on a farm, in-transit, or in our backyard.

We want to give families peace of mind, knowing that their puppy does not come from poor, inadequate and inhumane conditions.

That’s why the McGowan Government has introduced legislation to stop puppy farming in Western Australia.

In May of 2019, we announced the independent panel that would oversee a public review of the operation and effectiveness of the Animal Welfare Act 2002. We engaged in wide community consultation which helped inform the draft legislation the Dog Amendment (Stop Puppy Farming) Bill 2019.

Under the new legislation, information on dogs and who bred them will be stored in a centralised registration system, allowing records to be shared and dogs to be traced throughout their lives.

We will help pet shops transition into puppy and dog adoption centres that will focus on finding homes for unloved and abandoned dogs.

We will reduce excessive and illegal breeding by requiring all dogs are desexed by two years of age, unless exempt.

We will stop the overbreeding of dogs by monitoring who is breeding and identifying dodgy and illegal breeders.

The McGowan Government is committed to animal welfare and promoting responsible dog ownership. Ensuring our dogs are healthy and happy is the least we can do to thank them for their devotion and service.