A beginner’s guide to owning a pet in Australia - Sida loo lahaado rabbaayad.

Portrait of beagle dog playing with Asian young woman on sofa in living room at cozy home. Pet and cute animal concept.

It is also mandatory for cat and dog keepers to register with their local authority. Source: iStockphoto / klingsup/Getty Images

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Xayawaanka rabbaayadda ah ee guryaha lagu hasyto ayaa tayo-geliya, nolosha qoysas badan oo Australian ah, iyadoo saddexdii meeloodba labo-meelood, ay qoysaska Australia guriga ku haystaan xayawaan rabbaadyad ah. Laakiin, dadka aan hore u lahayn, ama u aan haysanin rabbaayad, ee hadda raba inay keensadaan, ayaa laga yaabaa inay ka il-duufaan waajibaadyo uu xawayaanku sharciyan u leeyahay.

Key Points

Microchipping and registration are both legal requirements for dog and cat owners. Make sure you do both as they are separate processes.
A pet’s healthcare plan includes regular check-ups, dental care, vaccinations, and treatment of any chronic conditions.
Taking up the responsibility of an animal should be an informed decision by all household members involved in their care.

Qaar badan oo ka mid ah dadka rabbaayadda haysta ayaa rumaysan inay tahay mid farxad gelisa naftooda. Waxaase dadkaa saaranmas'uuliyad lala mid dhigi karo, tan cunug la korinayo oo kale.

Saddex sannadood ka hor, haweeneydan la yiraahdo Vindhiya [[ Nivan Hela Gay]] iyo lammaaneheeda James ayaa go'aansaday inay guriga keensadaan Eey. Illaa iyo intii Eeygaas oo ay u bixiyeen Algot, keensadeena, waxay ka heleen farxad iyo wehel maalin kasta ah - sida ay sheegeen.

James and Vindhya oo reer Melbourne ah go'aansaday in guriga keensadaa eey rabbaayad ah. Photo: Supplied

“Xataa maamlmaha aad iska yara daallan tahay, weli waxaa ku saaran waajib ah, in aad Eeyga soo lugaysiiso, taasoo aad ka helayso farxad badan, waayo, waqtigaas naftaada uun kama fekerayside, naf kale ayaa ka fekeraysaa”

Laakiin, in rabbaayad guriga lagu haystaa, waa mas'uuliyad weyn oo aan la dhayalsan karin.

"Rabbaayaddu ma aha wax hadyad dhalasho la isu siiyo"

"Waa wax ay tahay in qoyska oo dhammi kasii fekero, kana wada tashado, doorkii qof kastaa ka qaadan lahaa, waayo waa noole kasoo mid noqonaya qoyska oo u baahan in waqti la siiyo, waajibkiisana laga soo baxao"

'My toddlers are terrified': How Australians are navigating pets in public spaces

Ms Nivunhellage iyo lammaaneheedu waxay wada leeyihiin eey ay ula baxeen Algot.

"Aniga iyo James carruur ma lihin. Lahaanshaha Algot, waxaanu la meel dhignay annagoo cunug haysanna, waay wuxuu u baahan yahay usii diyaar-garoow badan, Tusaae: Dhowrkii sano ee hore ee noloshiisa, Algot, meelaha Eeyda lagu lugaysiiyo ayaannu subaxii iyo galabtiiba kusoo lugaysiin jirney"

Australia Explained: Lahaanshaha Rabbaayad.

Haddii aanu gurigaagu lahayn meelo rabbaayaddu ku cayaarto, hubi, in rabbaayaddaadu aanay gurigu gudihiisa ku caajisin waqti dheer. Credit: Fly View Productions/Getty Images

Pet laws

Tara Ward, waa garyaqaan iskaa wax u qabso uga shaqaysa Animal Defenders Office, oo ah xarun bulsho oo ka shaqaysa arrimaha shariciga xayawaanka..

Waxay sheegtay, in inkasta oo ay dowlad-goboleedyada iyo degmooyinku, ku kala duwan yihiin shuruucda xayawaanka, ay haddana ka siman yihiin qaar ka mid ah shuruudaha sharciyeed ee bisadaha iyo Eyda. Waxaana ka mid ah in xayawaanka lagu duro microchip.

Dhakhtarka xayawaanku wuxuu diiwaan ku qoraa macluumaadka qofka xayawaanka leh, si loo ogaado qofka lala soo xiriirayo lacalla uu xawaanku lumo,” ayay tiri Ms Ward.

Waa khasab in bisadaha iyo eeyda laga diiwaan geliyo dowladda hoose.

Ms Ward, waxay leedahay, dadka qaar waxay si khaldan ugu maleeyaan in diiwaan-gelinta dowladda hoose iyo ku durida chip-ku isku mid yihiin. Laakiinn way kala duwan yihiin.

Microchip, waa aalad yar oo le'eg xabbad bariis ah oo lagu duro aagga qoorta iyo garbaha Eeyga iyo bisadda”, ayay tiri Tara Ward oo ka tirsan Animal Defenders Office. Credit: FatCamera/Getty Images

“Labadu aad bay u kala duwan yihiin. Ku duridda chip-ka ujeeddadiisu waa in la aqoonsada Eeygaaga ama bisaddaada. Diiwaan gelintuna waa in macluumaadka rabbaayaddaada lagu daro diiwaanka rabbbaayadda ee dowladda.."

What does responsible cat ownership involve?

How to help injured wildlife in Australia

Fadlan, ku xirnow podcas-ka Australia Explained, si aad uga hesho maluumaad faa'iido leh oo kaa caawinaya degitaankaaga Australia.

Ma noo haysaa wax su'aal ah. Feker-se ma nagu soo biirinaysaa? Fadlan noogusoo diri australiaexplained@sbs.com.au 

Transcript

presenter 1

SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands and waterways across Australia.

presenter 2

You're listening to Australia Explained, an SBS audio podcast helping you navigate life in Australia.

Maram Ismail

Pets are a beloved part of life for many Australians, with nearly 2 in 3 households sharing their home with at least one pet. However, if you've never owned a pet before, it's easy to overlook some essential details.

Vindhya Nivunhellage

You are forced to think beyond your own self, and that's the true joy of having an animal.

Maram Ismail

Welcome to this episode of Australia Explained. I'm your host, Maram Ismail. Today we will explore the legal obligations and everyday care involved in pet ownership and discuss what every new pet owner in Australia should know. Many pet owners agree that having a pet is incredibly rewarding, but when it comes to responsibilities, it's often compared to raising a child. Three years ago, Vindhya Nivunhellage and her partner James decided to welcome a dog into their lives. Since bringing their dog, Algot, home, they say they haven't gone a day without the benefits of having an animal pet as a companion.

Vindhya Nivunhellage

Truly the sheer joy of waking up and seeing a beaming face, and whenever you get home, you see a wagging tail. And if there are days when you're feeling low, you still have an obligation to take your dog on a walk, and it brings you so much joy because you are forced to think beyond your own self, and that's the true joy of having an animal, I feel.

Maram Ismail

But along with the positives, there is a lot of responsibility that comes with owning a pet from occasional tasks like finding a sitter while you travel to daily responsibilities like making sure your pet isn't left alone or inactive for too long. Caring for an animal takes planning and commitment. Ms. Vindhya Nivunhellage again.

Vindhya Nivunhellage

It requires so much planning for the first few years of Albert's life. We would take him to the dog park in the morning and in the evening, so that was a solid one hour of running in the morning and one hour of running in the evening, and we did that because he didn't have a backyard.

Maram Ismail

Companion animals can range from lizards and guinea pigs to rabbits or even horses, but in Australia, dogs and cats are the most common. That's why there are specific laws around their care. Tara Ward is the volunteer managing solicitor. At the Animal Defenders Office, a community legal center for animal issues, she explains that while pet laws vary by state and council, some legal requirements for cat and dog owners apply nationwide. These include micro chipping your pet.

Tara Ward

It's a tiny chip the size of a grain of rice, and it's inserted in the neck or shoulders area of the dog and cat. The vet or the person who the microchip will record on the database information about who owns this animal and who to contact should the animal be lost. If you don't and your animal is picked up by a ranger or a council officer, you can be hit with a financial penalty if you haven't micro chipped your cat or your dog.

Maram Ismail

It's also mandatory for all cat and dog owners to register their pets with their local council. Ms. Ward says a common misconception. That micro chipping and registration are the same, but they're not.

Tara Ward

These are two entirely separate processes. Micro chipping is about identifying your cat or your dog. Registering is about putting the details of your dog or your cat on the government list of pets. So you have to register your animal with the local government, and that usually involves a small fee. In some places it can be a one-off, in other places like the ACT, you have to update it every year.

Maram Ismail

When it comes to desexing pets, legislation varies from one jurisdiction to another.

Tara Ward

Some states and territories make it mandatory. In the ACT, for example, at a certain age, and it can vary from a dog or a cat, you have to have your dog or your cat desexed. If you don't want to do that, there are other legal processes you have to go through in New South Wales for example. The cat doesn't have to be desexed, but if you are the keeper of a cat who is not desexed and is older than 4 months, you have to obtain a permit. In other words, it will cost a lot more if that animal is not desexed.

Maram Ismail

Ms. Ward advises pet owners to check the specific laws in their local council area as councils are responsible for regulating the keeping of cats and dogs.

Tara Ward

I would reach out to your local council because the actual laws about dogs and cats are managed at the local council level. Do try to get across them because you really want to avoid getting into legal issues about your animals.

Maram Ismail

While not a legal requirement, appropriate training is strongly recommended for dog owners. Nadia Peiris, senior animal care manager at RSPCA Victoria, explains why.

Nadia Peiris

They're structured learning, the trainers themselves follow a very structured program, so it's consistent. They understand behavior modification so they can address specific problems depending on what your pet is showing. And it's been proved to improve bonding with the owners, and it's also great for socialisation, especially when it comes to puppy classes. So from an early age, as soon as you can get puppies with other dogs, the better.

Maram Ismail

Ms. Peiris says there are two common misconceptions when it comes to healthcare for dogs and cats.

Nadia Peiris

A big one is that pets don't need dental care, and I can tell you one of the things that our vets are very busy with are dentals for cats and dogs. So good dental care for your pet is very important. Another one is worming and flea treatments being unnecessary for indoor pets when We as humans walk around outside and we can bring in lots of parasites on our shoes. So it is very important, even if you have an indoor pet to make sure that you're doing worming and flea control on them.

Maram Ismail

Regular medical checkups are also required for dogs and cats with more frequent visits needed for animals with health conditions. Dr Kate Golaszewski, Vet Director of the Campbellfield site at Lord Smith Animal Hospital explains.

Dr Kate Golaszewski

Initially, when they're young, we might see them every month for the 1st 2 or 3 vaccinations. And then after that, it'll be a yearly checkup. Generally, we'll give them a booster vaccination at that time as well, but not always. Um, really depends on the animal and what sort of vaccine they need. Animals with Chronic health conditions. So we'll see animals with heart disease or skin issues. We might see them more regularly. Generally, any animal with chronic disease will see them at least every 6 months.

Maram Ismail

Just like with humans, Dr Kate Golaszewski says any concerning changes in your pet's health should prompt a visit to the vet. If you notice anything unusual or abnormalities, it's best to get them checked. Thank you for listening to this episode of Australia Explained, written and produced by Zoe Thomaidou, hosted and sound designed by me, Maram Ismail. Australia Explained managing editor is Roza Germian.

presenter 2

This was an SBS audio podcast. For more Australia explained stories, visit sbs.com.au/Australiaexplained.

Maram Ismail

Subscribe or follow the Australia Explained podcast for more valuable information and tips about settling into your new life in Australia. Do you have any questions or topic ideas, send us an email to australiaexplained@sbs.com.au.

END OF TRANSCRIPT