Protecting Companion Animal Ownership in Victoria

Victorian law provides for certain procedures to be performed on animal legally when done by a vet and in accordance with the Australian Veterinary Association Code of Practice. However, once these procedures are done the animal is barred from pubic viewing. Example - The practice of de-barking dogs under the AVA CoP can only be done as a last resort - rather than euthanasia. It is unfair that these animals must then be hidden from site.

The law needs to be changed. If the Vet who performs the procedure does not do it in accordance with the CoP then the vet faces punishment, so why then punish dog?

This petition is to remove the offending clause from the Victorian Legislation. That Clause being:

11A. Further prohibited procedure offences...

(1) The owner or person in charge of an animal must not allow a prohibited
procedure to be carried out on the animal.

Penalty: 120 penalty units or imprisonment for 12 months, in the case of a
natural person. 600 penalty units, in the case of a body corporate.

(2) The owner or person in charge of an animal on which a prohibited procedure
has been carried out must not-

(a) show or exhibit the animal; or

(b) allow another person to show or exhibit the animal-

unless the prohibited procedure was carried out-

(c) before the commencement of section 80 of the Animals Legislation
Amendment (Animal Care) Act 2007; or

(d) in a jurisdiction other than Victoria, in accordance with the law of
that jurisdiction, and the animal was not, at any time on or before
the procedure was carried out, resident in Victoria.

Penalty: 20 penalty units.

(3) In this section-

exhibit, in relation to an animal, means the general or public display of the
animal (whether or not for sale purposes); show, in relation to an animal,
means causing the animal to participate in any competition, performance or
entertainment.