Assistance Dog free registration scheme - information for local government
While the Domestic Animals Act 1994 (DA Act) has exempted guide dogs from registration fee requirements for some time, this exemption has not previously been extended to other types of assistance dogs.
On 21 December 2023, a Governor in Council (GiC) Order was made under the DA Act to exempt assistance dogs from council pet registration fees, provided certain eligibility criteria are met.
To be eligible for a registration fee exemption, the owner of an assistance dog is required to make an application to their council, in the council approved form, providing reasonable evidence that:
- the applicant has a disability that necessitates an assistance dog
- the assistance dog has been trained to alleviate the effect(s) of the disability (as per the definition of assistance dog under Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (EO Act)
- the assistance dog has completed obedience training, as defined in the GiC Order
- the assistance dog is at least 12-months old
- the assistance dog is microchipped
- the assistance dog is desexed.
An applicant is not eligible for free registration of their assistance dog if:
- not all eligibility criteria are satisfied
- the applicant has been found guilty of two or more offences under the DA Act with respect to the same assistance dog
- the assistance dog has been declared menacing or dangerous
- the assistance dog is a restricted breed dog.
Public access rights for persons using assistance dogs are not affected by the GiC Order. Public access is granted to assistance dogs via the federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the EO Act, which together recognise assistance animals and protect the rights of all people with a disability.
To assist local councils in better understanding and implementing the GiC Order, Animal Welfare Victoria (AWV) has developed an Implementation Guidance document and web content. The guide provides an overview of the scheme, eligibility criteria, sample templates and communications for residents. This aims to assist councils in promoting the scheme within their communities.
