The Act casts a wide net.
Owners and persons in charge bear the primary duties. Section 7 defines “owner” cumulatively as the legal owner, the person by whom the animal is ordinarily kept, and the registered owner. Each is liable for offences (s 7(2)), although a defence exists if another owner has already been convicted or has paid a penalty notice for the same incident (s 7(6)). Employers are deemed owners of animals kept by employees on their behalf (s 7(5)). Breeders, whether individuals or corporations, must obtain and maintain a breeder identification number and notify changes (s 83Q). Rehoming organisations must hold a rehoming-organisation number and comply with collection-time limits before a council may destroy an animal (s 64B).
Councils are both regulators and service providers. They must promote the Act, identify dangerous dogs within their area, receive threat information from police and RSPCA officers (ss 6A, 6B), issue nuisance and control orders, declare dogs dangerous or menacing, operate or contract pounds, and report pound activities (s 67A). Authorised officers (council employees or police) exercise entry, seizure, scanning and prosecution powers (Part 7A). Councils determine release fees and maintenance charges (s 65) and must follow rehoming guidelines before euthanasia (s 64B(7)).
Veterinary practitioners are authorised identifiers (s 5), must ear-mark or tattoo desexed female cats and dogs (s 86A), may access the Register to locate owners (s 83E), and provide written statements for breed or temperament assessments (s 58C). They also issue certificates of compliance for dangerous-dog enclosures (s 58H).
Rehoming organisations (councils, Animal Welfare League NSW, Cat Protection Society, RSPCA NSW and any organisation designated under s 88B) receive animals from pounds, enjoy exemptions from registration and permit fees while animals are in their custody for up to 12 months (ss 11F, 88B(3)), and must collect animals within seven days (or a longer agreed period) once they notify a council of willingness to rehome (s 64B(4)).
The Departmental Chief Executive (Chief Executive of the Office of Local Government) maintains the Register (s 79), issues permits (s 11I), allocates breeder-identification and rehoming-organisation numbers (ss 83M, 83N), approves assessors (s 5), issues guidelines (ss 64B(6), 83I, 86A(4)), and may delegate functions (s 88). The Minister may appoint a local authority for the Western Division (s 6(1A)).
Police and corrective-services officers enjoy exemptions for dogs on official duty (ss 13(5)(e), 14(8)(a), 16(3)). They must forward threat information to councils (s 6B).
Persons with disabilities may be accompanied by assistance animals in all public places and on public transport (s 59). Refusal of entry or discriminatory charging is an offence (ss 60, 61).
Members of the public are protected from attacks (s 16), may seize dogs in certain circumstances (ss 13(3), 14(3), 22), and have limited access to the Register to verify registration or permit status (s 83). They must not rescue seized animals (s 68) or obstruct authorised officers (s 69H).
Breeders and sellers face identification-before-sale obligations (s 8(2)), prohibitions on selling dangerous, menacing or restricted dogs (ss 52A, 57A), and breeding prohibitions for restricted dogs (s 57C). Advertisements must include breeder-identification numbers (s 83).
Approved breed and temperament assessors are protected from liability when acting in good faith (s 58E) but their statements cannot be challenged in legal proceedings (s 58C(6)).
The Act therefore touches every participant in the companion-animal ecosystem, from the suburban dog owner to the specialist rehoming charity, the rural working-dog handler, the inner-city café proprietor, and the statewide regulator.