Virtual fencing for livestock
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulations 2019 set out when and how electronic collars can be used, sold, hired or supplied for use on animals in Victoria. This includes electronic collars used on livestock for virtual fencing.
Electronic collars are defined in the regulations as an animal collar that is designed to be capable of imparting an electric shock to an animal.
In Victoria electronic collars can only be used on:
- dogs (for the purposes of remote training, anti-bark training or confinement)
- cats (for confinement purposes only)
- cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, camels, alpacas and llamas for research purposes.
Electronic collars cannot be used on any other species.
The use and sale of virtual fencing technology for livestock in Victoria is only allowed for research purposes. There are no limitations on the sale of electronic collars for livestock to purchasers outside of Victoria.
Specific legal requirements relating to electronic collars for livestock
In Victoria a person must not use an electronic collar on livestock unless the electronic collar is used on cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, camels, alpacas or llamas and only as part of a scientific procedure, or program of scientific procedures, approved under a licence granted under Part 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.
The sale of electronic collars is permitted under the following conditions
A person must not sell, hire or supply an electronic collar unless they maintain a record of the following details about the purchaser, hirer or recipient of the collar for a period of 7 years:
- the full name of the purchaser, hirer or recipient
- the street address of the property where the electronic collar is to be used
- contact telephone number or email address for the purchaser, hirer or recipient
- the date of sale, hire or supply of the electronic collar
- if the street address is in Victoria then the seller, hirer or supplier must obtain written evidence from the recipient that the electronic collars are only going to be used as part of a licensed scientific procedure.
The Victorian Government is working on amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulations to enable commercial use of virtual fencing and herding technologies for cattle. This page will be updated once the new regulations commence in late 2025.