Australian Capital Territory
Domestic Animals (Fees) Determination 2010 (No.1)
Disallowable Instrument DI2010—115
made under the
Domestic Animals Act 2000, Section 144 – Determination of Fees

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Section 144 of the Domestic Animals Act 2000 (the Act) permits the Minister to determine fees for the Act.

This determination revokes the previous fee determination (DI 2009—81) that set fees for the 2009-2010 financial year and establishes fees from 1 July 2010.

This determination generally increases fees in accordance with the Wage Price Index estimate for 2010-11 of 3.5%, consistent with the Government’s announcement, made as part of the 2006-07 ACT Budget, on the indexing of government fees and charges.  The increased fees are rounded down to the nearest 5 cents.

The instrument introduces new fees for the microchipping of dogs at the pound.  Section 7(3) of the Domestic Animals Regulation 2001 requires dogs to be microchipped, if they are over 12 weeks old, if they have been sold, or if they are dangerous.  In the case of impounded dogs, this has the effect of requiring most dogs to be microchipped before they can be returned to their owner, or sold.  The instrument sets the fee for microchipping in this circumstance at $20.00. 

Members of the public can also request the registrar to microchip their dogs.  The instrument sets the fee in this circumstance at $40.00.

The instrument also introduces a $10.00 fee for entering ‘change of owner’, or ‘change of address’ details on the domestic animals register.

The instrument changes the release fee arrangements for dogs that are seized.  The instrument reduces the release fees for the first, second and third time a dog is seized to $70.00, $100.00 and $150.00 respectively.  However a new release fee of $300.00 has been introduced for the fourth and subsequent times a dog is seized.

The daily fee for seized dogs has been increased from $12.30 to $20.00, to provide greater incentive for owners to collect their dogs more promptly.

The sale of dog fee has been increased to $70.00.

The registrar of domestic animals may waive or refund certain types of fees. These are set out in section 6 of the instrument, together with the circumstances in which the registrar may waive those fees.  The grounds upon which the registrar can waive fees have been broadened to allow the registrar to take into account personal hardship.  

The refund amounts as set out in schedule 2 of the instrument have also been adjusted in accordance with the current Wage Price Index estimate.

The determination takes effect on 1 July 2010.