Authorised Pet Rehoming Organisation scheme

An organisation that places cats and dogs in temporary foster care, by volunteers, while finding permanent homes. Organisations include community foster care networks (CFCNs), rescue groups and adoption groups. They are not considered pounds or shelters as they house no more than 5 animals at a time.

The APRO scheme starts on 10 April 2027. More information about how and when eligible pet rehoming organisations can apply will be available soon.

The FCR scheme will end on 10 April 2028. It will run alongside the APRO scheme for 12 months to allow councils and carers time to transition.

An online system launching with the APRO scheme on 10 April 2027.

It will allow APROs to notify the government and councils about animals under their care and report animal fate data. Councils will access it to monitor the number and location of animals managed by APROs.

The Pet Rehoming Register will be developed in liaison with the pet rehoming sector.

No. The APRO scheme is voluntary. Organisations that are not authorised under the APRO scheme can still operate but will not have access to the scheme benefits like:

• a 12-month exemption from council registration for foster animals
• the ability to hold adoption events at prescribed Domestic Animal Businesses (DABs)

A pet rehoming organisation that:

• can be an incorporated or unincorporated body
• must have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• must be registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC). For information visit www.acnc.gov.au

Applications will open before the scheme starts on 10 April 2027.

Details will be set in the Domestic Animal Regulations after stakeholder and community consultation and will be shared before the APRO scheme commences.

A range of matters will be considered when granting or renewing the authorisation of a pet rehoming organisation under the APRO scheme, including:

• past offences and compliance notices issued under Victoria’s Domestic Animals Act 1994 or the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986, or other state and territory equivalent legislation to persons named on an application.
• additional requirements prescribed in the Domestic Animals Regulations, following stakeholder and community consultation.

An APRO and its volunteer foster carers must:

• report animal fate data to the Victorian Government via the Pet Rehoming Register.
• comply with requirements for accommodation and management of cats and dogs under their management or direction. The requirements will be prescribed in the Domestic Animals Regulations after consultation with the pet rehoming sector and broader Victorian community starting in early 2026.

Three years. Renewals must be submitted at least 60 days before expiry.

Yes. APROs receive a source number valid for 3 years at no cost.

If authorisation ends (cancelled, expired or revoked), a new source number must be obtained via the Pet Exchange Register to advertise dogs or cats for sale or to give away.

Yes. From 10 April 2027, APROs can hold adoption events at prescribed domestic animal businesses (DAB) (e.g. pet shops, shelters) without a permit, if they comply with notification and other requirements.

Events at other locations (e.g. community days) require an animal sale permit from Agriculture Victoria.

The types of DABs able to host adoptions will be prescribed in the Domestic Animal Regulations following stakeholder consultation. Only APROs can hold events to sell or give away cats and dogs at a DAB.

Yes. Animal sale permits are needed for events at locations other than private residences or prescribed domestic animal businesses.

From 10 April 2027, APROs will be exempt from registering each cat or dog under its management for the first 12 months after its arrival. This will provide financial relief to APROs with animals in foster care for short periods.

Until then, animals over 3 months must be registered with the local council by the pet rehoming organisations or their foster carer.

Reduced rate registration for the Foster Carer Registration (FCR) scheme remains available until 10 April 2028 when the FCR scheme ends.

Yes. After 12 months with an APRO, all cats and dogs must be registered with the local council.

Yes. An organisation must notify the relevant local councils about cats and dogs under their management or direction. Details of the information an APRO must provide will be prescribed in the Domestic Animals Regulations, following stakeholder and community consultation.

No. A pet rehoming organisation that is not authorised under the APRO scheme must register cats and dogs aged over 3 months with the local council.

Yes. From 10 April 2027, APROs can check the VDDR to see if a privately surrendered dog has been declared menacing or dangerous, or is a restricted breed.

Local council may continue to administer the FCR schemeand register individual foster carers until 10 April 2028.

The FCR schemewill be repealed from the Domestic Animals Act 1994.

From 10 April 2027, APROs will be exempt from registering each cat or dog under its management for the first 12 months after its arrival. This will provide financial relief to APROs with animals in foster care for short periods.

Until this date, pet rehoming organisations or their foster carers must register foster cats and dogs aged over 3 months with their relevant local council.

Reduced rate registration for the Foster Carer Registration (FCR) scheme remains available until 10 April 2028 when the FCR scheme ends.

Yes. To ensure that local councils retain oversight of the numbers and locations of cats and dogs being kept by APROs in their municipalities, an APRO must report information about animals under their management. Details of the information an APRO must provide a local council will be prescribed in the Domestic Animals Regulations, following stakeholder and community consultation.

No. A pet rehoming organisation that is not authorised under the APRO scheme must register cats and dogs that are under its management or direction and aged over 3 months with the relevant local council.

Reduced rate registration for the Foster Carer Registration (FCR) scheme remains available until 10 April 2028 when the FCR scheme ends.

Local councils will have access to the Pet Rehoming Register to maintain oversight of the numbers and locations of cats and dogs under the management or direction of APROs in their municipality.

The online Pet Rehoming Register will start operating when the APRO scheme comes into effect on 10 April 2027.

Yes. Current exemptions for the registration of cats and dogs kept in registered pounds and shelters apply for the entire time a cat or dog is kept at a registered pound or shelter.

The exemption now also extends to cats and dogs from pounds and shelters in foster care, where a written foster care agreement is in place.

A written foster care agreement is a requirement of the Victorian Code of Practice for the Management of Cats and Dogs in Shelters and Pounds. A foster care agreement must identify the requirements for each animal and include their return date to the pound or shelter before their sale (rehoming).

Extending the registration exemption in these circumstances will mean that registered shelters, pounds and volunteer foster carers are not unintentionally breaching registration requirements for cats and dogs when an animal is transferred to temporary foster care.

From 10 April 2027, an APRO can hold a pet adoption at a prescribed domestic animal business (DAB) and at events such as a community day.

An APRO will not require an animal sale permit for an adoption event at a prescribed DAB if they comply with notification and other requirements.

Adoption event locations other than a prescribed DAB (such as a community day) require an animal sale permit from Agriculture Victoria before the event.

Only an APRO can hold adoption events to sell or give away cats and dogs at prescribed domestic animal businesses (DABs).

Yes. An APRO must notify the Victorian Government and relevant local council in advance of an adoption event planned at a registered DAB, via the Rehoming Pet Register.

Local council authorised officers will have powers to stop an APRO adoption event if they reasonably believe:

• the welfare of a cat or dog at the event is at risk
• that a cat or dog offered for sale or give away is under the respective required ages. Cats must be 8 weeks or older and dogs must be 6 months or older to be sold or given away at an adoption event.

These powers also apply to Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action authorised officers and RSPCA Inspectors.

No. A local council must refuse to register or renew the registration of a premises where a breeding DAB is conducted if the person in relation to the DAB is a relevant person (e.g. administrator or foster carer) in relation to an APRO.

Current requirements for refusal to register the premises of a breeding DAB if the person is a relevant person in relation to an animal pound, shelter or pet shop will remain.

Local councils can verify APRO involvement via the Pet Rehoming Register.

Yes. No changes are proposed to current exemptions for registering cats and dogs that are kept in registered pounds and shelters. The exemption applies for the entire time a cat or dog is kept in a registered pound or shelter.

Yes. The exemption now extends to cats and dogs from pounds and shelters in foster care when a written foster care agreement is in place.

A written foster care agreement is a requirement of the Victorian Code of Practice for the Management of Cats and Dogs in Shelters and Pounds. A foster care agreement must identify the requirements for each animal and include their return date to the pound or shelter before their sale (rehoming).

Extending the registration exemption ensures compliance when animals are temporarily fostered. A pound or shelter will not need to notify local council about animals in temporary foster care.

Yes. From 10 April 2027 APROs can hold adoption events to sell or give away cats and dogs at prescribed domestic animal businesses (DABs) which are expected to include pounds and shelters.

DABs will be prescribed in the Domestic Animal Regulations following stakeholder consultation.

Only APROs can hold adoption events at a prescribed DAB.

No. APROs are responsible for reporting data and notifying the government and councils before and after events.

Pounds and shelters will not be required to report information for APRO events in their annual reporting.

Pounds and shelters will report via the new Pet Rehoming Register, which will be developed in liaison with the pet rehoming sector.

APROs will be listed on the Agriculture Victoria website. Local councils can also access this information via the Pet Rehoming Register.

Yes. From 10 April 2028, registered foster carers will no longer be approved sources for supplying cats and dogs to pet shops when the Foster Carer Registration Scheme ends.

Registered pounds and shelters will continue to be an approved source of cats and dogs for pet shops.

Amendments to the Victorian Code of Practice for the Operation of Pet Shops and to the Domestic Animals Regulations will reflect these changes.

Yes. From 10 April 2027, APROs can hold adoption events at prescribed Domestic Animal Businesses (DABs), which are expected to include pet shops, pounds, and shelters.

Only APROs can run these events.

An APRO can only sell or give away cats (8+ weeks) and dogs (6+ months).

Selling or giving away animals younger than this will result in significant penalties.

No. Participation is voluntary and at the discretion of the pet shop proprietor.

No. The APRO is responsible for notifying the Victorian Government and local council, and for reporting animal fate data.

Pet shops must continue reporting for animals received from approved sources (pounds and shelters).