New South Wales Consolidated Acts

COMPANION ANIMALS ACT 1998 - SECT 14

14 Dogs prohibited in some public places

(1) Dogs are prohibited in the following places (whether or not they are leashed or otherwise controlled):

(a) Children’s play areas (meaning any public place, or part of a public place, that is within 10 metres of any playing apparatus provided in that public place or part for the use of children).

(b) Food preparation/consumption areas (meaning any public place, or part of a public place, that is within 10 metres of any apparatus provided in that public place or part for the preparation of food for human consumption or for the consumption of food by humans).

(c) Recreation areas where dogs are prohibited (meaning any public place, or part of a public place, provided or set apart by a local authority for public recreation or the playing of organised games and in which the local authority has ordered that dogs are prohibited and in which, or near the boundaries of which, there are conspicuously exhibited by the local authority at reasonable intervals notices to the effect that dogs are prohibited in or on that public place or part).

(d) Public bathing areas where dogs are prohibited (meaning any public place or any part of a public place that is used for or in conjunction with public bathing or public recreation (including a beach), in which the local authority has ordered that dogs are prohibited and in which, or near the boundaries of which, there are conspicuously exhibited by the local authority at reasonable intervals notices to the effect that dogs are prohibited in or on that public place).

(e) School grounds (meaning any property occupied or used for a purpose connected with the conduct of a government school or non- government school under the Education Act 1990 , other than any property used for a residence or the curtilage of a residence).

(f) Child care centres (meaning any property occupied or used for a purpose connected with the conduct of a child care service as defined in the Children (Care and Protection) Act 1987 , other than any property used for a residence or the curtilage of a residence).

(g) Shopping areas where dogs are prohibited (meaning a shopping arcade or shopping complex, including any part of it that is used by the public for parking or access to shops, in which or part of which the local authority has ordered that dogs are prohibited and in which, or near the boundaries of which, there are conspicuously exhibited by the local authority at reasonable intervals notices to the effect that dogs are prohibited there). This paragraph does not apply to any shop or part of a shop.

(h) Wildlife protection areas (meaning any public place or any part of a public place set apart by the local authority for the protection of wildlife and in which the local authority has ordered that dogs are prohibited for the purposes of the protection of wildlife and in which, or near the boundaries of which, there are conspicuously exhibited by the local authority at reasonable intervals notices to the effect that dogs are prohibited in or on that public place).

(2) If a dog is in a place in which dogs are prohibited under this section:

(a) the owner of the dog, or

(b) if the owner is not present at the time of the offence and another person who is of or above the age of 16 years is in charge of the dog at that time-that other person,

is guilty of an offence.

Maximum penalty:

(a) 10 penalty units except in the case of a dangerous or restricted dog, or

(b) 100 penalty units in the case of a dangerous or restricted dog.

(3) Any person (including an authorised officer) can seize a dog that is in a place in which dogs are prohibited under this section. If the owner of the dog is present, the dog cannot be seized except by an authorised officer and only then if the owner fails to remove the dog from the place when the officer directs the owner to do so. A reference in this subsection to the owner of the dog includes a reference to the person who is for the time being in charge of the dog.

Note: Removing the dog prevents the dog being impounded but it does not excuse the contravention and does not stop action being taken for the contravention.

(4) A dog is not prohibited under this section in a place that is a food preparation/consumption area if the place is a public thoroughfare (such as a road, footpath or pathway).

(5) A dog is not prohibited under this section in a school ground or child care centre if it is there with the permission of the person controlling the school ground or child care centre.

(6) A dog is not prohibited under this section in a place within a shopping area if it is there:

(a) in a vehicle that is secured in such a way as to prevent the dog from escaping from it, or

(b) with the permission of the person controlling the place, or

(c) for the purpose of being taken to or from a pet shop, the premises of a veterinary practitioner or a similar establishment.

(7) A local authority is authorised to make the orders contemplated by this section.

(8) This section does not apply to the following dogs:

(a) a police dog,

(b) a dog that is an assistance animal being used bona fide by a person with a disability to assist the person.