Authorised Pet Rehoming Organisation scheme – questions and answers

No. The authorised pet rehoming organisation (APRO) scheme is voluntary. Pet rehoming organisations who decide not to participate can keep operating but will not access the benefits of the APRO scheme.

These benefits include a 12-month exemption from registering cats and dogs under their management with local councils. This will save APROs up to $1,950 a year (based on an APRO having 30 animals in its care a year, with a weighted average fee for cat and dog registration including desexed and entire animals across Victoria’s 79 local councils).

For the first time, pet rehoming organisations that are APROs can hold adoption events at domestic animal businesses (DABs) prescribed in the Domestic Animal Regulations 2025, including pet shops. APROs do not require an animal sale permit for these events, saving about $65. Only pet rehoming organisations that are APROs can hold adoption events at DABs.

In response to the consultation, the fee for an animal sale permit for adoption events held at other locations (for example, a community day event) will be waived for APROs.

A pet rehoming organisation can be an incorporated or an unincorporated body and apply to become an APRO.

They must have an Australian Business Number (ABN) to apply.

They must be registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC). For information about registering your pet rehoming organisation as a charity visit the ACNC website.

The people responsible for administering the pet rehoming organisation cannot also be proprietors of a domestic animal breeding, rearing or pet shop business.

Applications can be made via the online Pet Rehoming Register.

The register will start operating (on a date to be advised) before the APRO scheme commences on 10 April 2027, so pet rehoming organisations can be authorised and access its benefits from the start.

A pet rehoming organisation must have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be registered with the Australian Charities or Not-for Profit Commission (ACNC) to apply.

Applications must declare if persons named on an application have committed an offence or been issued a notice to comply under Victoria’s Domestic Animals Act 1994 or the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 or other state and territory equivalents.

The Domestic Animals Act 1994 and Domestic Animals Regulations 2025 prescribe the requirements an APRO must comply with.

These requirements relate to notifying local councils of where animals are being kept (including foster care arrangements), their management and care (including at adoption days) and reporting on the fate of each animal.

No charge applies for pet rehoming organisations to apply for authorisation with the APRO scheme until November 2029. This gives organisations free access to APRO scheme benefits for 3 years.

A cost-recovery fee for organisations that directly benefit from a government service, scheme or regulation is consistent with Victoria’s Pricing for Value Guide.

An authorisation lasts up to 3 years. An APRO must apply to renew its authorisation via the online Pet Rehoming Register at least 60 days before its expiry date.

Yes. Authorisation may be revoked if a pet rehoming organisation fails to comply with APRO scheme requirements prescribed in the Domestic Animals Act 1994 and the Domestic Animals Regulations 2025.

An authorisation may be revoked if a person responsible for administering an APRO is found guilty of an offence under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 or the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.

Other reasons for revoking an authorisation include but are not limited to:

• if the charity status of the APRO is revoked
• if an APRO fails to comply with a local law of a local council
• if a person responsible for administering an APRO becomes a proprietor of a prescribed domestic animal business (DAB), other than a registered shelter or pound
• if a person responsible for administering an APRO becomes a member of an applicable breeding organisation.

An APRO will receive written notice of the reasons for revoking its authorisation before it takes effect.

Yes. The department will issue an APRO with a source number for free. The source number will remain valid while a pet rehoming organisation is an APRO. This will save an APRO around $75 for each 3-year authorisation. If an APRO has an existing source number, it will be revoked and replaced with an APRO-specific source number.

If a pet rehoming organisation withdraws from the APRO scheme or has its authorisation revoked, it must apply for a new source number via the Pet Exchange Register to continue to advertise dogs or cats to sell or give away.

Yes. Once the APRO scheme starts on 10 April 2027, APROs can hold adoption events at domestic animal businesses (DAB) prescribed in the Domestic Animals Regulations, including pet shops, shelters and pounds.

APRO adoption events at DABs do not require an animal sale permit.

Pet rehoming organisations that are not APROs cannot hold adoption events at prescribed DABs.

APROs will still need an animal sale permit to sell animals at other events such as community days, but the permit fee (about $65) will be waived for APROs from 10 April 2027. Non-APROs must pay for an animal sale permit.

APROs will only have permission to sell or give away cats or dogs at adoption events.

Cats must be 8 weeks or older. Dogs must be 6 months or older. This aligns with the requirements for domestic animal businesses (DABs).

Significant penalties apply to an APRO that sells or gives away cats or dogs under these ages at adoption events.

Yes. As currently required for all pet rehoming organisations, APROs must obtain an animal sale permit to sell an animal at a location, unless it’s a private residence or domestic animal business (DAB) prescribed in the Domestic Animal Regulations 2025.

APROs will still need an animal sale permit to sell an animal at other locations like a community day, but the permit fee (about $65) will be waived for APROs once the scheme starts on 10 April 2027.

A 12-month registration exemption applies to APROs. This will save APROs up to $1,950 a year (based on an APRO having 30 animals in its care a year, with a weighted average fee for cat and dog registration including desexed and entire animals across Victoria’s 79 local councils).

The exemption applies once the APRO scheme starts on 10 April 2027. This is the date that annual dog and cat registrations are due to local councils. Until this date, animals over 3 months of age under an APRO’s management must be registered with the relevant local council.

APRO applications will open (on a date to be advised) before the APRO scheme commences so pet rehoming organisations can be authorised and access its benefits from the start.

For animals already in foster care when a pet rehoming organisation becomes an APRO, the 12-month registration exemption starts on the date their authorisation starts.

If an animal remains with an APRO more than a year it must be registered with the relevant local council.

Foster carers can register with the Foster Carer Registration scheme (FCR scheme) administered by their local council for reduced cat and dog registration fees until 10 April 2028. The FCR scheme will end on this date, a year after the APRO scheme starts.

The 12-month registration exemption applies to an APRO. If the APRO relocates an animal to a different municipality, the exemption period continues.

If an APRO transfers an animal to a different APRO, the 12-month registration period starts again, even if the animal is kept in the same municipality.

Yes. APROs must notify the relevant council via the online Pet Rehoming Register of all cats and dogs over 3 months of age under their management.

Once the APRO scheme starts on 10 April 2027, APROs must notify the relevant local council/s of animals already in foster care over 3 months of age within 7 business days.

The 12-month registration exemption applies to these animals from the date a pet rehoming organisation becomes an APRO.

If an animal is under 3 months of age when it comes under its management, an APRO must notify the council when it reaches 3 months.

If the foster location of an animal changes during or after the 12-month registration exemption, or if the APRO sells or gives the animal away, the APRO must notify the local council within 7 business days.

This is because local councils are responsible for overseeing domestic animal management in their municipality. Notifying the local council of animals under their management supports the quick return of cats and dogs to an APRO if the animal escapes and is brought to a shelter or pound, or if a foster carer surrenders an animal to a shelter or pound.

As prescribed in the Domestic Animals Regulations 2025, APROs must provide local councils with the foster carer’s name and address, the animal’s microchip number, if the animal is a cat or dog, its sex, if the animal is desexed or not, and when it reached 3 months of age.

Penalties will apply if an APRO fails to notify the local council within 7 business days of an animal coming under its management.

Penalties will apply if an APRO relocates an animal to a different property within the municipality or a different municipality and fails to notify the local council.

No. A non-APRO must register cats and dogs under its management over 3 months of age with the local council/s.

Yes. APROs will gain access to the VDDR once the APRO scheme starts on 10 April 2027. This will enable them to confirm if a privately surrendered dog has been declared as dangerous or menacing or is a restricted breed.

The Domestic Animals Regulations 2025 prohibit an APRO from selling or giving away a dog listed on the VDDR. Giving APROs access to the VDDR will enable them to meet this obligation. It will promote community safety, and the safety of foster carers and other animals in their care.

The access of APROs to the VDDR will be limited to viewing if a dog has been declared menacing or dangerous or is a restricted breed. APROs will not have access to private information of dog owners, nor have the ability to change information on the VDDR.

Restricted breed dogs must not be sold or given away by any person or body in Victoria.

The Domestic Animals Act 1994 and the Domestic Animals Regulations 2025 prescribe requirements an APRO must comply with.

These include requirements for managing foster animals at adoption events at domestic animal businesses (DABs), veterinary treatments required before an animal is rehomed, information provided to potential new owners, and paperwork and certificates provided when an animal is rehomed.

There are also requirements for transferring animals to another APRO, shelter or pound, and for reporting on the fate of each foster animal.

Further guidance is being developed to support pet rehoming organisations that choose to participate in the APRO scheme. This guidance will be available when applications open on a date to be advised.

Yes. The FCR scheme will operate until 10 April 2028, a year after the authorised pet rehoming organisation (APRO) scheme starts.

A local council can administer its FCR scheme and register individual foster carers until this date.

APROs will have a 12-month exemption from registering animals over 3 months of age.

The exemption applies once the APRO scheme starts on 10 April 2027. This is the date that annual pet and cat registrations are due to local councils. Until this date, animals over 3 months of age under an APRO’s management must be registered with the relevant local council/s.

APRO applications will open (on a date to be advised) before the APRO scheme commences so pet rehoming organisations can be authorised and access its benefits from the start.

For animals already in foster care when a pet rehoming organisation becomes an APRO, the 12-month registration exemption starts on the date their authorisation starts.

If an animal remains with an APRO more than a year it must be registered with the relevant local council.

Foster carers can register with the Foster Carer Registration scheme (FCR scheme) administered by their local council for reduced cat and dog registration fees until 10 April 2028. The FCR scheme ends on this date, a year after the APRO scheme starts.

The 12-month registration exemption applies to an APRO. If the APRO relocates an animal to a different municipality, the exemption period continues.

If an APRO transfers an animal to a different APRO, the 12-month registration period starts again, even if the animal is kept in the same municipality.

Yes. APROs must notify the relevant local council/s via the online Pet Rehoming Register where each animal of 3 months of age or older under its management is being kept.

If a cat or dog is under 3 months of age when it comes under its management, an APRO must notify the council once it reaches 3 months.

As prescribed in the Domestic Animals Regulations 2025, APROs must provide the local council with the foster carer’s name and address, the animal’s microchip number, if the animal is a cat or dog, its sex, if the animal is desexed or not, and when it reached 3 months of age.

An APRO must notify the local council within 7 business days via the Pet Rehoming Register if it relocates a cat or dog to a different property within the municipality or to a different municipality during or after the 12-month registration exemption, or if the APRO sells or gives the animal away.

This will enable local councils to meet their responsibilities under the Domestic Animals Act 1994.

Penalties will apply if an APRO fails to notify a local council of an animal under its management and where it is being kept within 7 business days of the animal coming into its care.

Penalties will apply if an APRO relocates an animal to a different property within the municipality or to a different municipality and fails to notify the local council.

Authorised local council and authorised department officers will have powers to enforce notification requirements.

No. Non-APROs must register cats and dogs over 3 months of age under their management with the local council.

Foster carers volunteering with a non-APRO can register with the Foster Carer Registration scheme (FCR scheme) administered by their local council for reduced cat and dog registration fees until 10 April 2028. The FCR scheme ends on this date, a year after the APRO scheme starts.

The department website will list the names of APROs and where they are based.

Local councils will have access to the online Pet Rehoming Register for more details on APROs.

The Pet Rehoming Register will be operating when the APRO scheme starts on 10 April 2027.

Yes. The exemption applies for the entire time a cat or dog is kept at a registered shelter or pound.

Yes. The exemption now extends to cats and dogs transferred from shelters and pounds to foster care, where a written foster care agreement is in place. The foster carer can be working on behalf of an APRO or non-APRO.

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 specify the animal’s return date to the shelter or pound.

Extending the registration exemption in these circumstances means that pounds, shelters and foster carers are not unintentionally breaching registration requirements.

This change came into effect on 5 November 2025 when the Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Act 2025 came into force.

A shelter or pound is not required to notify the local council when it transfers an animal to foster care.

Once the APRO scheme starts on 10 April 2027, APROs can hold adoption events at domestic animal businesses (DABs) prescribed in the Domestic Animals Regulations 2025, including shelters, pounds and pet shops.

While APROs will not need an animal sale permit for events at prescribed DABs, they must give at least 7 business days’ notice of the event via the online Pet Rehoming Register to the Secretary of the Department and the local council.

Only pet rehoming organisations that are APROs can hold adoption events at DABs.

All pet rehoming organisations including APROs can currently hold adoption events at other locations such as a community day event. All organisations need an Animal Sale Permit to sell animals at these events, but the fee for APROs (about $65) will be waived once the APRO scheme starts.

APROs will only have permission to sell or give away cats or dogs at adoption events.

Cats must be 8 weeks or older. Dogs must be 6 months or older. This aligns with the requirements for domestic animal businesses (DABs).

Significant penalties apply for APROs that sell or give away cats or dogs under these ages at adoption events.

Authorised officers have powers under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 to enforce these requirements.

The notice required depends on the location of the adoption event.

An APRO must give at least 7 business days’ notice of an adoption event at a prescribed domestic animal business (DAB) to the Secretary of the Department and to the local council, via the online Pet Rehoming Register.

Only pet rehoming organisations that are APROs can hold adoption events at DABs prescribed in the Domestic Animals Regulations 2025. APRO adoption events are permitted at prescribed DABs once the APRO scheme starts on 10 April 2027.

An APRO must still obtain an animal sale permit before an event at another location like a community day as currently required. They do not need to notify the Secretary of the Department or local council of these events. They may need to notify the council directly if a community day or other event requires additional permits.

Local council authorised officers have powers to close down an APRO adoption event if they reasonably believe the welfare of a cat or dog at the event is at risk, or the animal being offered for sale or to be given away is under the required ages.

Department authorised officers and RSPCA Inspectors have the same powers as local council officers.

No. A local council must refuse to register or renew the registration of a premises of a breeding DAB if the person associated with the DAB is a relevant person associated with an APRO.

A relevant person in this context includes a person responsible for administering an APRO, or a volunteer foster carer with an APRO.

Current requirements for refusal to register the premises of a breeding DAB if the person is a relevant person associated with a shelter, pound, or pet shop remain.

Local councils will have access to the online Pet Rehoming Register to identify the persons responsible for administering APROs.

APROs must check that a dog privately surrendered to them has not been declared dangerous or menacing or a restricted breed.

The Domestic Animals Regulations 2025 prohibit an APRO from selling or giving away a declared dog.

Restricted breed dogs must not be sold or given away by any person or body in Victoria.

An APRO’s access to the VDDR will be limited to viewing if a dog has been declared as dangerous or is a restricted breed. An APRO will not have access to private information of dog owners, nor be able to change information on the VDDR.

APROs will gain access to the VDDR once the APRO scheme starts on 10 April 2027.

An APRO must notify the relevant local council within 24 hours of becoming aware a dog under its management has been declared as dangerous or menacing or is a restricted breed so the council can collect and manage the animal appropriately.

The Domestic Animals Act 1994 and the Domestic Animals Regulations 2025 prescribe the requirements an APRO must comply with. These include requirements relating to managing animals at adoption events at domestic animal businesses (DABs) such as pet shops, and for transferring animals to another APRO, shelter or pound.

Further guidance is being developed to support pet rehoming organisations that choose to participate in the APRO scheme. This guidance will be available when applications open on a date to be advised.

Yes. The exemption applies for the entire time a cat or dog is kept in a registered shelter or pound.

Yes. The exemption now extends to cats and dogs transferred from shelters and pounds to 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  specify the animal’s return date to the shelter or pound.

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

This change came into effect on 5 November 2025 when the Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Act 2025 (RCAD Act) came into force.

A shelter or pound is not required to notify the local council when they transfer an animal to foster care.

Yes. Once the authorised pet rehoming organisation (APRO) scheme starts on 10 April 2027, APROs can hold adoption events at domestic animal businesses (DABs) prescribed in the Domestic Animal Regulations 2025, including shelters and pounds.

While APROs will not need an animal sale permit for events at DABs, they must give at least 7 business days’ notice of the event via the online Pet Rehoming Register to the Secretary of the Department and the local council.

No. APROs are responsible for notifying the Secretary of the Department and local council before an adoption event at a shelter or pound, and reporting animal fate data after the event.

Shelters and pounds will report animal fate data via the new online Pet Rehoming Register once the APRO scheme starts operating on 10 April 2027.

The type of information and frequency of reporting will not change.

Representatives of shelters, pounds and pet rehoming organisations are helping to develop the Pet Rehoming Register so it works efficiently and doesn’t increase administrative burden.

More information about the Pet Rehoming Register will be available soon.

The Animal Welfare Victoria website will list the names of APROs and where they are based.

Local councils will also have access to the Pet Rehoming Register for APRO details.

Cats and dogs transferred from shelters and pounds to foster care no longer need to be registered with the local council, if 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 specify the animal’s return date to the shelter or pound.

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

This change came into effect on 5 November 2025 when the Domestic Animals Amendment (Rehoming Cats and Dogs and Other Matters) Act 2025 (RCAD Act) came into force.

A shelter or pound is not required to notify the local council when they transfer an animal to foster care.

The exemption does not apply to people fostering animals on behalf of a pet rehoming organisation, unless it is an authorised pet rehoming organisation (APRO). A cat or dog under the management of an APRO will have a 12-month exemption from being registered.

Yes. Registration exemptions for cats and dogs kept at a registered shelter or pound will continue.

No. Non-APROs must register cats and dogs over 3 months of age under their management with the local council.

Foster carers volunteering with a non-APRO can register with the Foster Carer Registration scheme (FCR scheme) administered by their local council for reduced cat and dog registration fees until 10 April 2028. The FCR scheme ends on this date, a year after the APRO scheme starts.

Registration with the FCR scheme is valid for 1 year and the council may set a registration fee. Foster carers who choose to enrol in the FCR scheme receive a reduced registration rate of approximately $8 for each dog and approximately $8 for each cat they foster during the first 12 months the animal is in their care.

While it is not compulsory to enrol in the FCR scheme, it is recommended to avoid paying a full registration fee for each cat or dog in temporary care with a foster carer. It also avoids receiving an infringement for an unregistered dog or cat.

The FCR scheme will end on 10 April 2028, a year after the APRO scheme starts.

The Code of Practice for the Management of Cats and Dogs in Shelters and Pounds sets out the types of foster care that can take place from registered shelters and pounds. This includes juvenile foster care for puppies and kittens, veterinary rehabilitation foster care for animals with a recoverable injury, behavioural rehabilitation foster care for animals to be retrained before rehoming, and short-term relief foster care so healthy animals can be cared for outside a shelter or pound before rehoming.

A written foster care agreement must identify requirements for the animal’s care, veterinary treatment or training. It must specify the animal’s return date to the shelter or pound.

A written foster care agreement must be in place with the facility. This agreement must identify the responsibilities of the foster carer and specify the date of the animal’s return to the shelter or pound.

A local council can confirm if a person is providing foster care on behalf of a registered shelter or pound by verifying the source number of the shelter or pound on the Pet Exchange Register.

A shelter or pound must provide a written foster care agreement setting out caring responsibilities and the animal’s return date.

A written foster care agreement is a requirement of the Code of Practice for the Management of Cats and Dogs in Shelters and Pounds. This written agreement can be provided to your local council to verify an animal in your care is exempt from registration.

Yes.  Some local councils have cat curfews.

Local councils limit how many adult equivalent cats or dogs or combination of both you can keep (usually up to 4 or 5). This includes foster animals and your own pets. Check with your local council how many cats and dogs you can keep.

• A fertile female dog or cat and their litter are taken as one animal adult equivalent if the litter is with the mother and is under 8 weeks old.
• The litter of a dog or cat is taken as an adult animal equivalent if they are not with the mother and are under 16 weeks old.

You must obtain an Excess Animal Permit from your local council if you plan to care for more animal adult equivalent cats and dogs than allowed.

Yes. The current Foster Carer Registration scheme (FCR scheme) will end on 10 April 2028.

Registered foster carers will not be an approved source of cats and dogs to pet shops from 10 April 2028.

Registered pounds and shelters will still 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 2025 will reflect these changes.

Authorised pet rehoming organisations (APROs) will not be an approved source for pet shops, however APROs may host adoption events at Domestic Animal Businesses (DABs) including pet shops.

Yes. Once the APRO scheme starts on 10 April 2027, APROs can hold adoption events at domestic animal businesses (DABs) prescribed in the Domestic Animals Regulations 2025, including pet shops. APROs will not need an animal sale permit for events at prescribed DABs.

Pet rehoming organisations that are not APROs cannot hold adoption events at pet shops.

APROs will only have permission to sell or give away cats or dogs at pet shop adoption events.

Cats must be 8 weeks or older. Dogs must be 6 months or older.

Significant penalties apply to an APRO that sells or gives away cats or dogs under these ages.

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

No. APROs are responsible for notifying the Secretary of the Department and local council of a planned adoption event, and for reporting animal fate data after the event.

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

Section 12A of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 requires that a person must not sell or give away a dog or a cat unless it is microchipped. This includes council pounds selling or giving away cats and dogs to pet rehoming organisations. This is also a requirement under the Code of Practice for the Management of Cats and Dogs in Shelters and Pounds, which is enforceable under the Domestic Animals Act.

Requirements for council pounds to desex animals before they are rehomed are prescribed in the Domestic Animals Act 1994 and the Code of Practice for the Management of Dogs and Cats in Shelters and Pounds.

The authorised pet rehoming organisation (APRO) scheme does not change these existing arrangements.

Yes. When an APRO takes on the management of an animal, the animal must be microchipped under the name of the APRO. The microchip information must include:

• The name of the APRO
• The contact address of the APRO
• The contact email and telephone number of the APRO
• The name and telephone number of another person who can be contacted in relation to the animal

A secondary contact person may include one of the responsible persons named on the APRO authorisation or the animal’s foster carer.