New South Wales is on the brink of a seismic shake‑up of its animal welfare laws, with the state preparing to criminalise behaviour that leaves pets suffering, including owners who abandon dogs in blistering hot cars or use brutal prong collars.
Under the proposed overhaul, offenders could be hit with devastating penalties, including fines of up to $44,000 and a year behind bars, putting these offences on par with the state’s toughest animal‑cruelty punishments.
The sweeping, long‑overdue reform would finally drag NSW into line with the stricter regimes already enforced in Western Australia and South Australia.
In those jurisdictions, there are maximum penalties reaching five years’ imprisonment and $50,000 fines for the worst cases of animal abuse.
The proposed NSW reforms would also allow animal welfare inspectors to administer immediate pain relief and allow for emergency euthanasia in critical situations.
A new provision would make it illegal to possess deadly glue traps that trap and slowly kill native animals.
The proposals are expected to be introduced to state parliament in the first half of 2026 after discussions with key stakeholders.
‘Leaving dogs in locked cars on hot days is not acceptable, and neither is the use of collars with prongs that spike into the necks of puppies and dogs,’ NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said.
People who leave dogs in locked cars could face jail time under proposed reforms in NSW
NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty (pictured) said on a 30 degree day, the interior of a parked car could reach a blistering 70 degrees
Prong collars are used as a training tool with metal links and blunted prongs that pinch the loose skin on a dog’s neck when they pull on the leash
‘I’ve heard first-hand community views that put expectations on our government to take action and set these matters right.’
On a 30‑degree day, the interior of a parked car could reach 70°C, Moriarty said.
‘That’s a death knell for an animal left inside.’
Owners who leave their dogs in hot vehicles can already be prosecuted in the most serious circumstances, but the new offence would be easier to prove if certain temperature and time limits are breached.
However, the government hasn’t yet decided what they will be.
In Victoria, once the outside temperature reaches 28 degrees, a dog cannot be left in a car for more than 10 minutes.
Tradies, farmers and other motorists who travel with dogs on the back of utes will also be affected by the proposed legislation.
Animal Welfare League NSW chief executive Stephen Albin said many dog owners now treated their pets as ‘constant companions’, taking them everywhere.
Tradies, farmers and other motorists who travel with dogs on the back of utes will also be affected by the proposed legislation in NSW
‘You’ve got to ensure you look after them, and that is by not keeping them in cars on a hot day and not necessarily tethering them to the back of utes, unsafely,’ Mr Albin said.
The reforms will also crack down on animal fighting by addressing potential loopholes and supporting police to address links to organised crime.
Those who facilitate animal fights could be fined up to $110,000 and face up to two years in prison.
NSW already banned puppy farms in 2024, invested millions in animal welfare enforcement, and updated legislation to prevent those convicted of animal cruelty from keeping and breeding animals.
In the past six years, RSPCA NSW received more than 500 reports of pets being locked in cars.
The organisation said even mild conditions could result in life‑threatening temperatures inside vehicles.
‘There is no excuse to leave your dogs locked in cars unattended,’ a spokeswoman said.
‘When it’s 22 degrees outside, the inside of a car can reach a stifling 47 degrees and this is no environment for a dog.
‘Dogs cool themselves through panting and are particularly at risk of heat stress in a hot car. If the air around them is too hot, and there is no access to cool water, dogs cannot lower their body temperature back to where it should be.’
