All pet shops and shelters must be registered with Council and display their Domestic Animal Business permit.

Pet shops can only accept and sell cats and dogs from approved sources. Approved sources are shelters and pounds or from Foster Carers registered with Council. Cats must be at least 8 weeks old, and dogs must be older than 6 months.

Dogs and cats must be vaccinated at least 14 days prior to sale to cover such diseases as canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and canine parvovirus for dogs, and infectious feline enteritis and feline respiratory disease (cat flu) for cats.

All dogs and cats sold must have a vaccination certificate signed by a veterinarian. This certificate must indicate the next date for further vaccination and any obvious defects.

No animal with a potentially life threatening defect apparent at the time of sale should be sold.

Purchasers of pet animals must be given information about feeding, desexing, parasite control, health (including procedures for emergency treatment during the guarantee period), housing, responsible pet ownership and current legislation covering the registration of pets.

If your animal is not acceptable because of health or other reasons that are supported by a statement from a veterinarian (excluding accidents) within 7 days of purchase, pet shop proprietors must take the animal back and refund all monies or offer a replacement animal with the same guarantee.

If the animal is returned within 3 days for any other reason, the pet shop must refund 75% of the purchase price or offer a replacement animal with the same guarantee.

If the animal dies or is euthanized as a result of a disease that is traceable to the point of sale, the pet shop proprietor must refund the purchase price or offer a replacement animal with the same guarantee.