The closing date for submissions was Monday, 15 March 2010

The purpose of this bill is to improve the way offences relating to the ill-treatment and neglect of animals are prescribed in the Animal Welfare Act 1999 and to increase the penalties for this type of offending. Changes are also made to the provisions enabling the court to disqualify a person from having custody of animals, and order forfeiture of animals to the Crown or to an approved organisation.

The bill is available for download from the `Related documents´ panel. Print copies can be ordered online from Bennetts Government Bookshops.

The committee requires 2 copies of each submission if made in writing. Those wishing to include any information of a private or personal nature in a submission should first discuss this with the clerk of the committee, as submissions are usually released to the public by the committee. Those wishing to appear before the committee to speak to their submissions should state this clearly and provide a daytime telephone contact number. To assist with administration please supply your postcode and an email address if you have one.

Further guidance on making a submission can be found from the Making a Submission to a Parliamentary Select Committee link in the `Related documents´ panel.