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• Pet or retired racing greyhounds are not required to wear muzzles in public places.
• Racing greyhounds are still required to wear muzzles in public places.

• Greyhounds are still required to be kept on leads in public places.

Sterilisation of dogs

• Dogs must be sterilised by the age of two years, unless they are exempt.
• Exemptions to sterilisation include:
  • dogs registered before the commencement of the new laws
  • dogs exempt because a veterinarian has certified that a sterilisation procedure would adversely affect the health of the dog
  • livestock working dogs
  • sterile dogs
  • racing greyhounds

  • dogs owned by a person with an ‘approval to breed.’

• The registration period for unsterilised dogs has changed to annual registrations only. 

• A dog owner will need to obtain an approval to breed if:
  • their dog is not sterilised by two years of age (and not otherwise exempt)
  • they intend to use their dog for breeding (regardless of the dog’s age)
  • their dog breeds, regardless of the dog’s age, even if the dog is bred unintentionally.
• A local government will be able to refuse an application or cancel an approval on grounds set out in the legislation.

Pet shops and dog suppliers

• Pet shops selling dogs will need to obtain a ‘pet shop approval’ from their local government.
• A local government will be able to refuse an application or cancel an approval on grounds set out in the legislation.
• Approved pet shops will only be able to supply dogs sourced from a refuge organisation or dog management facility that has obtained a ‘dog supply approval’ from the State Government.
  

• The State Government will acquire and maintain the centralised registration system (CRS), and work with local governments to merge all existing dog and cat registers in WA that are currently maintained by local governments.
• All owners of dogs registered with a local government will be given a ‘dog owner number.’
• If a person transfers a dog, they will need to provide their ‘dog owner number.’  This will enable authorities to identify who is supplying dogs.
• If a person is claiming to have bred a dog, their ‘dog owner number’ can be searched on the CRS to confirm they have an approval to breed. 

This information is correct at June 2023.