Strong dog laws: Safer communities

The number and severity of dog attacks being reported across Queensland has increased. To ensure that the legislation covering dangerous dogs remains effective, the Animal Management Taskforce has considered a range of options to strengthen existing animal management laws and improve community safety outcomes. 

Dogs that have attacked can be declared as a dangerous dog under the Act. A declaration places strict conditions on the owner on how the dog is kept. The purpose of the declaration and conditions is to provide increased protection to the community. 

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is the Queensland Government department responsible for administration of the Act. This may include updating (amending) the Act following Parliamentary approval. Local councils are responsible for enforcing the Act in their local areas. 

A person in charge of a dog has obligations under the Act to prevent the dog from acting aggressively or attacking. Ensuring compliance is first and foremost the responsibility of the person in control of the dog. Local councils have responsibility for responding to reports and complaints concerning dangerous or menacing dogs, and ensuring compliance with the Act. Local councils may take enforcement action in response to incidents of non-compliance. 

Dangerous dogs continue to impact community safety across Queensland. Feedback from the community suggests current laws could be strengthened to improve community safety. The proposals in the discussion paper suggest ways community safety may be improved. 

No. The review only targets the parts of the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008 (the Act) that deal with regulated dogs and associated issues. Other matters covered under the Act or council local laws are not currently under review.

No. The review does not cover animal management local laws administered by local governments. Local councils are responsible for reviewing their local laws.

The consultation is statewide. Anyone with an interest in the review is encouraged to provide feedback.

Anyone interested in providing feedback is encouraged to do so. Please carefully review the discussion paper and its proposals. Consider whether you support the proposal or not, whether it impacts you and any general comments you may wish to make. Please submit your feedback using the survey, or upload a written submission via the below form on this Engagement Hub.

Yes, you can upload a written response to the discussion paper. Please upload your submission in either PDF or Mircosoft Word format using the below form on this Engagement Hub.

Feedback is welcomed from organisations. If you choose to do so, please ensure that the feedback has been agreed to by everyone that it represents. In all other cases it is best to provide individual feedback. 

Have your say by midnight Thursday 24 August 2023. 

All feedback received by the department will be considered in refining the proposals before making final recommendations to the Queensland Government. 

As part of the legislative review and implementation process, the department will need to share some information with relevant Queensland Government agencies and information may be included in regulatory impact assessment reports, for example, to the Office of Best Practice Regulation. Personal information will not be included in these reports or published. Information (excluding personal information) may be compiled into a public report to summarise the consultation process. Please let the department know if you do not wish to have your response or submission included in a public report by emailing catsanddogs@daf.qld.gov.au. 
 

The Taskforce was established to oversee a targeted review of the Act. It consists of representatives from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, local councils, the Local Government Association of Queensland and RSPCA Queensland. A technical working group comprising of Council Animal Management Officers and other stakeholders exists to undertake technical assessments and to collate local experiences and issues. The technical working group reports to the Taskforce.