If your family pet has surprised you with a litter of puppies or kittens, you’re now classified as a breeder in NSW. This means you must care for them in the same way a professional breeder would until they’re placed in new homes.
Whether you’re a professional, a hobbyist, or the owner of a pet with an accidental litter, you must microchip all the animals you have bred (as outlined in the Companion Animals Act 1998). You must do this before selling or giving away the litter, or by the time they are 12 weeks old.
Go to the NSW Pet Registry to:
- create a profile
- enter litter details
- share litter details for microchipping
- eventually transfer ownership of pets to their forever homes.
Using forms for litter management and transfer
The Permanent Identification (P1A) (PDF, 146 KB) form must be filled out by a vet or authorised identifier at the time of microchipping your pet. The litter's mothers microchip number must be included in this form for each individual animal in the litter. This form must be submitted and processed by council before you are able to transfer ownership.
The Change of Owner (C3A) (PDF, 150 KB) should be completed by you and submitted to council to finalise the transfer of ownership to the new owners.
Surrender pets responsibly
If you can no longer care for your cat or dog, you can surrender them to a recognised rehoming organisation, a council pound or shelter. Contact these groups directly or speak to your local council to understand what you must do during this process.