From 1 July 2019, people advertising puppies or dogs (including greyhounds) for sale or to give away in NSW will need to include an identification number, such as the animals microchip number, in advertisements.

The rules will apply to all advertisements, including those in newspapers, local posters, community notice boards and all forms of online advertising, including public advertisements on websites such as the Trading Post, Gumtree and social media sites.

These rules also apply to participants of the greyhound racing industry. When advertising greyhounds for sale or to give-away, participants will need to use the greyhounds microchip number or, if the greyhound is yet to be micro chipped, provide your participant registration number.

If you dont use an identification number, or you falsify a number, you could be issued with an on-the-spot fine or face court, where a maximum penalty of $5,500 applies.
For more information on why this legislation has changed visit the NSW Department of Primary Industries website.

Questions and answers

How does the advertising requirement apply to racing greyhounds?

If a registered greyhound racing industry participant wishes to sell or give away a greyhound they own, the advertisements will need to display either the greyhound's microchip number or your participant registration number.

Microchip numbers for racing greyhounds will be used by animal welfare enforcement agencies to help identify and trace racing greyhounds throughout their lifecycle.

I am a racing greyhound participant and I want to sell a greyhound to someone else, either to continue racing or as a pet. What number do I need to use in the advertisement?

You can use either the dogs microchip number in all cases or, in the case of dogs that are not yet micro chipped, use your participant registration number.

You are reminded that you must also comply with the GWIC Greyhound Re-homing Policy and any other requirements in relation to the transfer of ownership.

I want to buy a greyhound I have seen advertised online, but I cant find the identification number on the NSW Pet Registry. What do I do?

The greyhound may be owned by a registered greyhound racing industry participants and therefore will not show up on the NSW pet registry. As greyhounds owned by greyhound racing industry participants are not recorded on the NSW Pet Registry, the buyer search function will not operate on the NSW Pet Registry. In such cases potential buyer can contact GWIC to confirm the identity and details associated with the greyhound.

If a greyhound has been retired and is sold as a pet to a person that is not a registered greyhound participant, it must then be registered on the NSW Pet Registry like other dogs. Subsequent buyers will then be able to use the buyer search function for the identification number of this animal.

EXTERNAL LINK

Australian Greyhounds also carry an Ear Brand for ID

That would also be suitable, I imagine

GD will start working on a facility to accept microchip numbers participants' registered numbers and ear brands when placing an advert in our classifieds.

Please note if you are not from NSW this will not affect you yet.

I think a lot of people will be caught out as it does not seem to be well known that it comes in on 1 July 2019 and it certainly appears that a lot of people are confused and rightly so.

I hope that this system if it has to be introduced is eased in and the "fines" are not given out from day one.

This would be a ridiculous situation and hopefully the ear band or microchip of one pup will suffice.

Again clarification is needed. I ran GRNSW and yes the ear brand is ok.

EXTERNAL LINK