Dog owners who leave their pets in hot cars could be jailed and fined up to $44,000 under new laws tackling cruel animal acts in NSW.
The bill, which is expected to be presented to parliament in early 2026, is also targeting possession glue traps, and using prong collars.
It is backed by more than 7,000 submissions from a range of consultations, the state government said.
The proposed changes have been informed by extensive stakeholder consultation, animal welfare data and scientific evidence. Picture: NewsWire / Brenton Edwards
“Leaving dogs in locked cars on hot days is not acceptable, and neither is the use of collars with prongs that spike into the necks of puppies and dogs,” Minister for Agriculture, Regional and Western NSW, Tara Moriarty said.
She said: “Fair minded people and industry stakeholders are requesting improved compliance and enforcement of animal welfare laws.
“There has been a significant volume of feedback from the public on animal welfare and that feedback has informed the policy positions we have set out.”
Minister for Agriculture, Regional and Western NSW, Tara Moriarty has announced the NSW government will propose new law changes in animal welfare. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard
The proposed changes will also strengthen animal welfare and “set clear expectations” on acceptable practices as authorities aim to expand enforcement powers and penalties for animal cruelty, the government said.
This includes addressing potential loopholes and supporting NSW police in addressing animal fighting offences links to organised crime.
People involved in animal fighting in underground networks could face fines of up to $110,000 or up to two years in prison, Ms Moriarty said on Sunday.
According to the 2024/25 RSPCA NSW data more than 500 reports from the public are linked to dogs being “locked in cars”.
Ms Moriarty said the definition of leaving dogs unattended has not yet been defined.
But she said if a dog was in a car on a hot day and had protections in place, such as air conditioning and overall good treatment then authorities “will be able to consider” that.
“Anything in the high 20s, above 30s, is dangerous for animals, just as it is for children, just as it is for adults inside of cars,” she said.
Animal welfare laws are set to propose new laws. Picture: NewsWire / Joel Carrett
“So if you think that just leaving a window open a little bit is somehow okay for a dog, it’s not,” she said.
“Take it out of the car, bring it on the lead, tie it to the pole while you go in and pay for your petrol. This is part of the responsibility of owning a pet. A pet is part of the family, and you’ve got to take responsibility for pet ownership,” she added.
Ms Moriarty says this will apply to vehicles in the city, but it will also apply to people with dogs in the back of utes.
Police will be involved in enforcing the new proposed law, as well as animal welfare agencies that the government tasks with animal welfare enforcement, including the Animal Welfare League, Ms Moriarty says.
“We care about animals across NSW, it’s important that we modernise and strengthen the law to make sure that the penalties and expectations live up to how the community expects us to treat our dogs,” she said.
The proposed changes will review the current Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 (POCTAA) legislation.
‘Address significant gaps’, says animal welfare community
The changes have been welcomed by the animal welfare community as cracking down on some of the “worst examples” of animal cruelty in the state.
“These proposed new laws address significant gaps in animal welfare,” Animal Welfare League NSW chief executive officer Stephen Albin said.
“Laws for leaving a dog in a hot car and using prong collars are critical – they are two examples of animal cruelty that require legal action given the harm they cause.
“Our inspectors also spend a lot of time educating people about animal welfare, but the new laws provide much-needed new powers to deal with the worst cases and offenders.”
