Ms Deirdre Kelly:

I thank the Senator for the questions. In the context of why dogs are being surrendered, we do not have any empirical evidence. That direct question is not asked in the statistics we are gathering. We have some anecdotal evidence, which we get from the pounds and the charities we work with. We do not currently request the information, but we are working with local authorities and the CCMA on statistics. In 2022, we collected and analysed statistics they were already collecting. Next year, we are hoping to expand that again, start working with them and talking to them about what other types of information they may be able to give us. That would potentially include why dogs are surrendered.

There are a few issues. Sometimes people do not want to say why they are surrendering their dogs. This is the information we get back from the local authority pounds. Other times, when people are asked about surrendering their dogs, they get a little defensive. There is then some concern that they would not surrender them and the dogs would end up in a more difficult situation as a result. We are to engage with the pounds and the staff in the CCMA to do it in a way that will mitigate against those kinds of scenarios. We are also having the conversation about digitisation. That is all part of the conversation we have started with the CCMA in the context of enhancing and developing the data that they collected, the way they collect it and the way we report it. We do not have that information now but we are having conversations with the CCMA to develop systems to collect that information.

We are engaged with the CCMA on a regular basis on all sorts of dog control issues. However, the way the surrendered dogs are dealt with in a local context is a local arrangement. It differs in each local authority. The finance is different in each local authority as well. It is my understanding that once the dog is passed on to the welfare charities that the costs are with the welfare charities. That might not be the best way to do it.

I mentioned how we engage with stakeholders. All these topics will form part of the conversation we have with stakeholders. We will set up a stakeholder group very early in the new year. The main reason for that is in order that they can assist us with the potential amendments to both the Control of Dogs Act and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act. However, the discussions will be much broader than that and will include this area. I refer particularly to the data, which is really important. It is important that we get accurate data to underpin the policy and framework decisions we might have to make to support the implementation of both the Dog Breeding Establishments Act and the Control of Dogs Act. Did the Senator have another question?