The Atlas/Breeding/Dogs Australia Regulations, Part 6 (Register and Registration)
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Dogs Australia Regulations, Part 6 (Register and Registration)
Regulations Part 6 · Australian National Kennel Council Ltd
The national kennel body’s rules for registering pedigree dogs and litters in Australia, including identification and DNA disease-testing requirements.
01 What It Is
Part 6 of the Regulations of the Australian National Kennel Council Ltd, trading as Dogs Australia, governs the register and the registration of pedigree dogs across Australia. It is a voluntary industry standard set by the national body for its member bodies, not a law, and the regulations themselves note that any state, federal or local legislation takes precedence over them. The current Part 6 took effect on 1 January 2024.
02 What It Covers
It governs the registration of dogs and litters, including litter-registration limitations, the identification of registered dogs by microchip or tattoo, and protocols for DNA-based hereditary-disease testing and for DNA verification of parentage where a litter’s sire or dam is disputed. It also sets rules for imported dogs and for the inspection of registered animals.
03 How It Is Checked
Enforcement runs through Dogs Australia and its member bodies, which administer the register and can suspend registrations, for example where DNA testing shows recorded parentage to be incorrect. It is a self-regulatory scheme within the pedigree-dog community rather than an externally accredited one.
04 Why It Matters
For pedigree dogs in Australia this is the framework that gives registration its meaning, tying a registered dog to verifiable identity, recorded parentage and breed disease-testing rather than to an unchecked claim of pedigree.
Common Questions
Is it law?
No. It is a voluntary industry standard set by the national kennel body, Dogs Australia, for its member bodies. The regulations themselves note that any state, federal or local legislation takes precedence over them.
Who runs it?
The Australian National Kennel Council Ltd, trading as Dogs Australia, and its state and territory member bodies. The current Part 6 took effect on 1 January 2024.
What does it cover?
The registration of dogs and litters, litter-registration limitations, identification by microchip or tattoo, and DNA-based hereditary-disease testing and parentage verification.
How is it enforced?
Through Dogs Australia and its member bodies, which administer the register and can suspend registrations, for example where DNA testing shows recorded parentage to be incorrect.
Who does it apply to?
Those who breed and register pedigree dogs through the Dogs Australia system.
Why does it matter?
It gives registration its meaning, tying a registered dog to verifiable identity, recorded parentage and breed disease-testing rather than an unchecked claim of pedigree.
Primary sources
- Dogs Australia Regulations Part 6, Register and Registration (PDF)dogsaustralia.org.au