Applicable organisations and recreational breeders
Applicable organisations
An applicable organisation is approved by the Minister for Agriculture under section 5A of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 (DA Act).
Generally, applicable organisations offer two membership types – breeding and/or showing. All applicable organisation members are entitled to reduced local council animal registration fees, and their animals are exempted from local council desexing orders. In addition, breeding members (termed recreational breeders) receive exemptions from domestic animal business requirements under the DA Act.
Key requirements for applicable organisations include:
- a code of conduct or ethics that is mandatory for all members and equivalent to the minimum standards required by Victorian legislation
- enforcement of its code of conduct/ethics and sufficient communication and education to members to ensure that they can comply with relevant Victorian legislation
- reporting annually to the Minister in accordance with the DA Act.
Additional information for recreational breeders is available in the Applicable organisation members – recreational breeders factsheet.
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Current applicable organisations
Approved applicable organisations are:
- Australian National Cats Inc. (G39, 29 September 2022)
- Dogs Victoria (G39, 29 September 2022)
- Feline Control Council (Victoria) Inc. (G39, 29 September 2022)
- The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy Australia and Victoria Inc. (G39, 29 September 2022)
- Master Dog Breeders & Associates (G39, 29 September 2022)
- Responsible Pet Breeders Australia. (G32, 11 August 2022)
Guidelines and conditions of membership
To be approved or renewed as an applicable organisation in Victoria, the Minister for Agriculture must be satisfied that the organisation meets the criteria set out in these guidelines.
The conditions of membership are compulsory conditions on each member of an applicable organisation. During application to become an applicable organisation, organisations must demonstrate how each member has received and agreed to these conditions.
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How to apply
To become an applicable organisation, the organisation must apply to the Minister for Agriculture via a submission to Animal Welfare Victoria. Please email us at pet.welfare@agriculture.vic.gov.au for an application form. Should you wish to discuss an application, please contact us at 03 9217 4292.
Documents that need to be included with an application form include:
- Copy of the organisation’s complaints policy and complaints handling procedure
- Copy of the organisation’s Code of Ethics and details of how the Code of Ethics is enforced
- Copy of a statement demonstrating how members are informed about the requirements applying to the approval status of the organisation and its Code of Ethics
- Copy of the education and training material used by the organisation to inform members that they must comply with the Domestic Animals Act 1994, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 and any other relevant laws relating to the keeping of dogs or cats
- Evidence demonstrating that each organisation member has received and agreed to the conditions of being a member of an applicable organisation
- Copy of the disciplinary policy and disciplinary hearing procedure
- Copy of the outcomes of any disciplinary action taken by the organisation for breaches of the Code of Ethics during the preceding year
- Copy of the organisation’s procedures and protocols for reporting and handling incidents including animal cruelty, dog attacks and animal diseases
- An outline of the organisation’s sale guarantee, health management plan and other breeding-related practices.
Send completed applications by email to pet.welfare@agriculture.vic.gov.au or post to:
Minister for Agriculture
c/– Animal Welfare Victoria, Domestic Animals Policy team
475 Mickleham Road
ATTWOOD VIC 3049
The required fee is 100 fee units for a new application and 50 fee units for a renewal application. These amounts change every year on 1 July.
Find the current value of a fee unit.