It will soon be illegal to leave a dog in a hot car, with new legislation set to improve animal welfare. Photo: Anand Thakur.
New and strengthened animal welfare laws will soon mean greater protections for pets and livestock in New South Wales.
The state’s policymakers are cracking down on actions and items which could be endangering animals as they overhaul enforcement actions around animal cruelty and welfare in the most significant update to the legislation in 45 years.
“This government has been clear in both words and actions that protecting animals and promoting good welfare outcomes are priorities,” NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said.
“Our government has been driving sensible changes to animal welfare over three years such as banning puppy farms, boosting funding for RSPCA NSW and Animal Welfare League, and stopping convicted people from keeping or working with animals.
“We are continuing with our work by updating the legislation, so it strengthens protections for animals, closes loopholes that have frustrated enforcement, and brings our state into line with other states on key animal welfare issues.”
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Enforcement and Operational Powers) Bill 2026, which was introduced to NSW Parliament, strengthens existing protections while also introducing new offences for unacceptable behaviours.
The level of penalties will also be increased.
A key inclusion is that it will be illegal to leave a dog unattended in a vehicle without adequate cooling or ventilation for more than 10 minutes when it is over 28 degrees Celsius outside, or to restrain a dog on a hot metal ute tray at the same temperature, with fines up to $44,000.
Tougher animal fighting laws which also cover training, preparation, presence at fights and the possession of animals for fighting will see penalties going up from $5500 to $110,000 and imprisonment up from six months to two years.
Other changes include allowing inspectors to administer sedation and pain relief to minimise an animal’s immediate suffering until veterinary treatment can be sought, prohibiting the possession and use of painful dog prong collars, requiring pain relief to be administered when mulesing sheep, regardless of the sheep’s age, and updating maximum penalties across the act to reflect community expectations.
The bill also introduces reforms to enable faster and more humane responses to animal welfare incidents and emergencies such as during floods, bushfires or a livestock transport accident, and enabling appropriately trained Local Land Services officers and council officers to humanely euthanise animals in these sorts of situations.
The legislation was created following engagement with stakeholders such as RSPCA NSW, Animal Welfare League, Australian Alliance for Animals, Animal Care Australia, Humane World for Animals, NSW Farmers, Sheep Producers Australia, and Australian Veterinary Association, with the State Government saying it will continue to work with stakeholders and the community on future animal welfare policy developments.
“The government has considered more than 7000 public submissions and engaged with leading stakeholders,” Ms Moriarty said.
“This makes me confident that we are providing practical and enforceable changes, which align with the needs of our society and the outlook of everyday people.”
Details of the bill are available on the Parliament of NSW website.
Original Article published by Keeli Dyson on Region Illawarra.
