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Companion Animal Act Nsw


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Can someone please find the actual Clause in the CAA for me. I would be so grateful as a reporter I have spoken to is very interested in doing an article and asked for the actual legal jargon. I would look but am stressed about my missing old Dobie. I want the local Liverpool paper to publicise this because I have come across many instances of people who say "oh we found a dog, and we took it home and kept it". Today, while putting up posters of my missing Sarge, I talked to a couple of people who thought it was OK to just take a stray home and keep it. My reasons are twofold, get the reporter to advise the public on their legal obligations, advise about the stress of the owners missing their dogs and to publicise my missing Dobe (since 28th April in Lurnea, Liverpool). We are pretty sure someone has him in their backyard. Not making much sense I know. Sorry.

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here it is...hope he comes home soon

COMPANION ANIMALS ACT 1998 - SECT 62

Seized animals must be delivered to owner, council pound or approved premises

62 Seized animals must be delivered to owner, council pound or approved premises

(1) A person who seizes an animal under the authority of this Act must cause the seized animal to be delivered as soon as possible:

(a) to its owner, or

(b) to a council pound, or

© to any approved premises.

Maximum penalty: 30 penalty units.

Animals may be seized under the following provisions of this Act:

(a) section 13,

(b) section 14,

© section 18,

(d) section 22,

(e) section 30,

(f) section 32,

(g) section 36,

(h) section 52,

(i) section 57,

(j) section 58B.

Animals may also be seized under sections 57D and 58G, however this Part does not apply to animals seized under those sections.

(2) In the case of an animal that has been seized by a person who is not an authorised officer, subsection (1) is complied with by the person if the person, as soon as possible after seizing the animal, makes an arrangement with an authorised officer for the animal to be delivered by the officer to its owner, a council pound or approved premises.

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Thanks Beth.

All of the legal stuff is probably not something the newspaper will quote. Can you, as the definitive expert, sort of put it layman's terms. I can refer the reporter to those clauses - maybe I can leave it up to him to summarise it for a newspaper friendly article. There is a fine?

I am devastated that Sarge is missing - 3rd night without him :cry: . The other 4 are totally confused. It broke my heart doing the feed 10 minutes ago and only having 4 large bowls to hand out instead of 5.

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Hvae you put posters up in the area - do letterbox drops and door knocking. Is he on any medication? We lost two dogs last year from foster care, 1 was gone for 3 days and the other for 4. In the second case, someone had picked the dog up from outside the carer's house and decided to keep him - thought that he was too thin (Italian Greyhounds are slim) and thought he was unwanted.

Our poster indicated he was on meds at the time (antibiotics, it was true) - and we only got him back because the person was concerned he might be unwell so he gave us a call thank God.

Dogs are often found not that far away from where they live.

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Wizard I was asking stuff not long ago.

The worry is that you can find a dog, take the dog to a vet for scanning and that vet is apparently under no obligation to seize the dog. (I thought they were but apparently that's not the case)

Clinics can apply to be an 'approved premises' under the Act so they can legally seize and hold strays until the ranger comes but many aren't. So pets are being sent home with people who find them and believe that taking them to the pound means they will certainly die. :(

I'm so sorry about Sarge. Hope he comes home soon.

edit: spelling

Edited by Powerlegs
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From the DLG:

I have found a stray animal - what should I do with it?

If you have found a straying animal then you should check to see if it’s wearing a collar and tag and if so use the details to notify the owner. If it’s not, then you must by law take the dog to either a council animal shelter or an approved premises (usually a vet practice) where they can try and locate its owner by scanning for a microchip and getting the owner’s contact details from the Companion Animals Register. Contact your local council for advice on where to take any stray animal.

Is council required to come and collect the stray animal I have found?

No. Councils are not obliged to collect animals that members of the public have found, but they do have an obligation to accept animals (both dogs and cats) that are taken to a facility such as a council pound. Each council must best allocate its

resources as it sees fit. If you would like to see a pick-up service for animals in your area, you could write to the General Manager of your council or contact your elected councillors who can raise your concerns with council directly.

Link: http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/DLG/DLGHome/Documents/Information/CA_FAQ.pdf

EDIT: Basically, the Companion Animal Act states anyone who finds a stray must take it to an approved premises (not all vets are approved). Because some do not come and pick the stray up from you, you must deliver it to the appropriate place. Failing to do so will mean breaking the law and incurring a fine.

Edited by Plan B
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It's a $550 fine, knowing most of the vets in the area, they are good with accepting strays, doing the checks or calling council. Most people hold onto a dog expecting the owner knows where to come looking for it. Talk to the people in the area with dogs, leave photos with vet s ( it give them a ref if someone comes in with him) and Renbury. Look around places where people congregate if he is a people dog

Basically it is illegal to hold onto an animal that doesn't belong to you, they are considered property (like your phone,car, etc) and it can considered theft. It is a hard thing to enforce as most are doing it out of kindness for the animal.

I tell people that no matter how much they care for the animal in the short time they have them, there is a long time owner who fretting over the animal and they deserve to be reunited. I assume you have reported him missing?

I'm sure he is as eager to get home to you as you are to have him home and I hope that is soon

BTW Do you want any dog beds,bedding and bowls

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Thanks Anna

Sarge has never spent one night in 9 years out my home. I cannot stop weeping about him.

If I get the reporter to do article about the CAA laws and mention Sarge that would be great He should be on my lounge right now.

Sue

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A guy around here lost his JRT at new year, they would drive around stopping anyone they saw walking dogs with flyers, its amazing how dog owners all know each other, might be worth a try?

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a penalty unit is $110 and that is the maximum and can only be issued by the court. the fines that can be issued by council, police etc is $550.

It's a $550 fine,

It's bigger than that. A penalty unit is about $120. The maximum for this offence is 30 penalty units - $3600.

Wizard1 I really hope you find your boy soon. :(

Edited by ozsomerset
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put posters near schools. Schoolkids see lots more than adults who drive around. When my girl Tiger escaped a year ago and was gone for 3 days, I got several phone calls from kids who had seen her. It helped that she is a people dog so she was hanging around a couple of schools to be near the kids I think.

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Wizard I was asking stuff not long ago.

The worry is that you can find a dog, take the dog to a vet for scanning and that vet is apparently under no obligation to seize the dog. (I thought they were but apparently that's not the case)

Clinics can apply to be an 'approved premises' under the Act so they can legally seize and hold strays until the ranger comes but many aren't. So pets are being sent home with people who find them and believe that taking them to the pound means they will certainly die. :(

I actually think in many cases this would be a good thing.

I have caught strays before, took them to a vet, got the microchip read and obtained the details of the owner, gave them a call and advised them that their pooch was in my backyard ready to be picked up.

So far everyone seemed to be really, really glad that

(a) I bothered to catch their dog as it was roaming around (usually outside the shops, begging for food)

(b) did not just call the RSPCA or rangers - apart from the hundreds of $$ involved getting their dogs back from the pound, I reckon lazing in my backyard, playing in a doggie-clamshell-pool, digging to their heart's content and playing ball is much less stressful than sitting in a kennel.

And, quite honestly, not working babysitting a random dog for a couple of hours is no biggie (during working hours, while hubby isn't home. :p )

The owners are usually extremely happy to have their pooch back and come rushing over immediately.

Not working I'm also not opposed to accepting a reward for taking good care of their pooch (after all they saved hundreds of $$ by me not going the easy way and calling the rangers)

:)

IF (however he'd manage that) my pooch ever got lost, I'd much rather have someone snuggle him than having him exposed to the stress of the pound.

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