Victorian Numbered Acts

DOMESTIC ANIMALS AMENDMENT ACT 2014 (NO. 8 OF 2014) - SECT 1

The purposes of this Act are—

        (a)     to amend the Domestic Animals Act
1994 —

              (i)     to reduce the period within which a person may apply to VCAT for review of a declaration that a dog is a restricted breed dog; and

              (ii)     to empower VCAT to make an order for the owner of a dog declared to be a restricted breed dog to pay for the costs of the dog being retained in custody while VCAT reviews the declaration; and

              (iii)     to require owners of dangerous, menacing or restricted breed dogs to notify Councils of further information about where the dog is kept; and

              (iv)     to further provide for offences in relation to authorised officers; and

              (v)     to provide for admissibility in legal proceedings of declarations of dogs as restricted breed dogs; and

              (vi)     to empower the Magistrates' Court to disqualify a person from owning or being in charge or control of a dog in certain circumstances and to provide entry, search and seizure powers under a search warrant in relation to such a person; and

              (vii)     to insert an offence prohibiting breeding from a restricted breed dog; and

              (viii)     to empower authorised officers or veterinary practitioners to take samples from dogs in certain circumstances; and

              (ix)     to empower authorised officers to seize dogs suspected to be involved in an offence against breeding from a restricted breed dog; and

              (x)     to provide for entry and search powers under a search warrant for an offence against breeding from a restricted breed dog; and

              (xi)     to provide for seizure of documents and things under Part 7A; and

              (xii)     to insert powers as to inspection, search and seizure of certain documents of veterinary practitioners; and

              (xiii)     to insert additional requirements for Councils to provide the Secretary with information regarding dangerous, menacing and restricted breed dogs; and

              (xiv)     to make miscellaneous amendments to that Act; and

        (b)     to amend the Crimes Act 1958 to empower a court to disqualify a person from owning or being in charge or control of a dog if the person has committed an offence connected with a dangerous, menacing or restricted breed dog under that Act and to provide entry, search and seizure powers under a search warrant in relation to such a person.