Four years ago mandatory standards for overnight boarding kennels in the ACT were introduced. 

They came with threats of suspensions, revoked licenses and potential financial penalties for non-compliant businesses. 

Among the requirements, pen sizes, drainage systems, noise, lighting, ventilation, bedding, animal wellbeing, exercise and security came under strict regulation. 

“The ACT government hasn’t policed or enforced any of the legislation since 2021, since it came into effect,” says Snuggles Pet Resort owner Noel Martin. 

Located in Michelago, NSW, Noel has owned his kennel and cattery since 2016 and has noticed an increase in concerned pet owners who are choosing to cross the border. 

“The public doesn’t know that [some] kennels are operating in breach of the mandatory code of standards,” he says. 

“They’re under the impression that because they are licensed, they meet the mandatory code of practice.

“The government’s not telling [the public], and the facilities certainly aren’t telling them that they’re in breach of the code, and that’s a risk to the animals.”

Licensed under section 24G of the Animal Welfare Act 1991, the Code of Practice for Overnight Animal Boarding Establishments states all registered facilities within the ACT will be inspected and, if any breaches are found, the facility will be given a select period of time to have the breach fixed. 

According to Noel, the ACT government is giving all boarding facilities a “free pass”. 

“There’s no area within the code itself that allows the government to do what it’s doing… and while this is occurring, animals are at risk,” he says. 

Noel says the blame shouldn’t be placed on the businesses, but the lack of follow through by the government as many businesses may not even be aware they have a problem to fix

“It’s not the owners that should be blamed, but the government for not enforcing their own laws that are required to protect animal welfare, it’s letting the rest of the industry down by allowing the bad ones to continue operating to the detriment of everyone else,” he says.

“A lot of these places were built in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s and haven’t moved with the times, but there’s been no encouragement for them to move until the code of practice was brought in. 

Expressing his concerns with local Assembly figures and the Domestic Animal Services, he was told that short staffing had been an issue, with many of their workers flat out dog catching to be able to uphold the business checks. 

An ACT government spokesperson says DAS, on behalf of the ACT’s Animal Welfare Authority, conducts inspections in line with licensing requirements at least every three years.

“Inspections may occur sooner if needed, such as in response to complaints or concerns about animal welfare or facility conditions,” the spokesperson says.

DAS wouldn’t answer the direct question of how many inspections it had actually conducted over the past year. Nor whether all kennels within the ACT have been inspected within the past three years.

However, DAS did confirm that within the past three years it had intervened with one animal boarding facility due to inadequate staffing/training, ineffective or unserviceable infrastructure and incidents of harm to animals. The kennel was not fined nor suspended, but subject to administrative conditions. 

For any owners who may be concerned about a kennel, DAS encourages them to report the kennel with as much detail as possible including dates, times, descriptions of the issue and any supporting evidence such as vet reports, videos or photographs. 

Noel says the code states the boarding facility must allow owners to visit the premises and inspect the area where the pet is kept, as long as they are supervised while doing so. 

“I tell this to my own clients,” he says. 

“Do not put your pet into a place you have not seen for yourself.

“If they’re not letting you in, what are they hiding? There’s a lot of things that aren’t obvious to the untrained eye.”

Report animal welfare issues to DAS at 6207 2959, email animalcontrol@act.gov.au, or call the RSPCA at 132281