I recently adopted a large breed pup (Great Dane cross) from a NSW approved and registered rescue. Her name is Rain, and I fostered her mum and 8 other siblings from when they were <1 day old.
Having been involved with a few rescues as a foster carer over the past 20+ years, I’m a massive advocate for desexing dogs that one doesn’t intend to breed from. I do however also support ethical registered breeders of quality purebreds, unlike many involved in the rescue industry.
Now, as Rain is going to be a very large girl once fully grown (50kg+), the vet has issued her with a desexing deferral/exemption certificate. This certificate defers her desexing until she is 18 months old, and has been issued because the negative long term health implications of early-age desexing for her breed type far outweigh the positives.
For further explanation and the Australian Veterinary Association’s stance on early desexing, please click this link… https://www.ava.com.au/policy-advocacy/policies/companion-animals-health/desexing-surgical-sterilisation-of-companion-animals/
In NSW, Council registration for desexed rescue pets is $0, BUT that apparently only applies if the pet is desexed BEFORE it leaves the rescue. Juvenile pets (pups and kittens) adopted with a desexing exemption do not qualify for the $0 registration fee until the desexing exemption is fulfilled (and the pet is desexed by the expiry date on the exemption). This means that anyone adopting a larger breed pup with such an exemption is liable to pay for registration before the dog reaches the age of 12 weeks (in NSW).
The registration fee payable for a pup with an exemption is at the desexed dog rate, honouring the exemption certificate until such time as the dog is desexed. This fee is $80, or $35 for valid concession card holders, and will supposedly be refunded once the dog is desexed – effectively honouring the $0 registration for a rescue pet, albeit in a very roundabout fashion.
One would surmise that the NSW Pet Registry database would flag if/when a dog has not been desexed by the exemption expiry date, so that they can chase owners up for the extra undesexed dog fees. Why can’t rescue pet $0 registration also be tied to the exemption expiry flagging? If the owner doesn’t comply, they can then be chased for all the registration fees due at that point. Makes much more sense than making you pay up front on the promise that the fee will be refunded once the exemption is fulfilled. I’m not holding my breath that a refund will be automatic though… I’ll most likely have to run around chasing it if I want the money back.
This is the silliness of enacting blanket legislation without considering the “unforeseen” consequences.
I have written to both local and State government representatives about this matter.
Will this problem be rectified? Only time will tell there…
Featured photo – 16 week old Rain at the dog park making friends.
By: Tracey Dierikx – Animal Care Australia Exhibited Animal Representative. Published: March 2026 ACE Newsletter
