FAQ - Field Officers

Dogs Victoria Field Officers are dedicated to assisting and educating Dogs Victoria members and affiliates in fulfilling their obligations as responsible dog owners and breeders. This role operates with oversight from the Chief Executive and the Breeder Committee.

Why does Dogs Victoria undertake Field Officer visits?

The Dogs Victoria Field Officer undertakes inspections of Dogs Victoria members’ facilities to ensure they meet the minimum standards for the quality of life, health and wellbeing of dogs.

All Dogs Victoria members agree to be bound by our governing framework, which includes:

• The full Dogs Victoria Constitution, Rules and Regulations, Code of Practice, policies and procedures;
• The Domestic Animals Act 1994;
• The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986; and
• The Code of Practice for the Private Keeping of Dogs.

Dogs Victoria is approved by the Victorian Government as an ‘Applicable Organisation’ under provisions in the Domestic Animals Act 1994.

As an Applicable Organisation, Dogs Victoria must educate and monitor our members’ adherence to the governing framework.

What happens during a Field Officer visit?

Members will receive notification in writing from Dogs Victoria when they are approved for a visit from the Field Officer.

The Field Officer will then contact the member directly to schedule an appropriate day and time for the visit.

The Field Officer visit is a standardised procedure to ensure consistency and fairness.

• The visit commences with an introduction and briefing;
• The Field Officer will ask to view the dog housing, feeding and exercise areas; and ask members about their husbandry procedures, including veterinary care, hygiene and enrichment;
• All dogs on the premises at the time of inspection will be examined and scanned with a microchip reader;
• The Field Officer will ask breeding members to present their records for inspection and discuss their whelping, rearing and dog sale procedures;
• The Field Officer may make note of any other general observations; and
• Both parties will sign a statement confirming the visit has taken place.

The Field Officer will document the visit using the standardised checklist Field Officer – Record of Audit/Inspection V1.3. For transparency, a copy of the completed report is provided to the member after the visit by post or email.

The primary aim of the Field Officer program is to identify any areas for improvement for Dogs Victoria members to increase compliance with the governing framework.

In a broader sense, the Field Officer program will help identify trends and patterns that may provide further insight to improve the educational offerings of Dogs Victoria.

How are members selected for a Field Officer visit?

All Dogs Victoria members should reasonably expect a Field Officer visit at some point during their membership. Dogs Victoria has a sizable membership spanning across the entire state, including metropolitan and regional areas.

Accordingly, the selection strategy for Field Officer visits is set at a committee level and primarily focuses on visiting our breeding members. To ensure the efficient use of Dogs Victoria resources, occasionally members are selected based on their proximity to another scheduled visit, considering the extensive travel distances involved.

Members may also be selected for Field Officer visit for a specific purpose, including: registration issues such as colour inspections, DNA collection, or to address suspected or alleged non-compliance (such as advertising issues, complaints, welfare issues, etc.). 

Members may also request a Field Officer visit if they feel they need assistance or when required to, such as to apply for reinstatement of membership after a period of suspension. 

Who authorises a Field Officer visit?

 

Field Officer visits are authorised by the Management Committee in accordance with the VCA Regulations, which states:

“3.7.7 It shall be a condition of membership that a person, or persons, so authorised by Management Committee may inspect the premises of any member and examine the dogs on the premises at that time.”

“4.3.1 A member shall keep proper records of their breeding activities and all such records so kept shall be open for inspection by any person authorised by Management Committee. Any such person shall be at liberty to take extracts therefrom.”

The Management Committee has delegated the responsibility for initiating internal arrangements to the Chief Executive. However, the Management Committee also retains the authority to issue their own directives, as necessary.

Are Field Officer visits mandatory?

Field Officer visits are a condition of membership for Dogs Victoria members, and as such, it is expected that members will readily cooperate with scheduling a Field Officer visit when requested.

Should a member refuse to cooperate without reasonable cause, their membership may be suspended until the visit is completed. Such refusal may also lead to additional disciplinary actions taken against the membership. Refer to VCA Regulation:

“3.7.7.1 Failure by a member to facilitate an inspection by the Field Officer of the member’s premises and to examine the dogs without reasonable cause shall result in immediate suspension of the member’s privileges until that inspection has taken place.”

How can members prepare for a Field Officer visit?

Dogs Victoria recognises that our members are diverse, living in various settings such as typical suburban houses, semi-rural hobby farms, or rural acreages. The management of dogs can vary greatly among them. Generally speaking, members should ensure that their premises, specifically their dog husbandry areas, are clean and disinfected. Members should also make sure that bedding or toys are clean, and that the available water is fresh. Any grassed areas in or around dog runs should be properly mown. Additionally, any kennels, fencing or runs should be well-maintained and free from rust or corrosion. Adequate shelter and proper drainage should be in place to prevent excessive mud or standing water in the dog areas. Dogs should be presented clean and brushed and in good body condition.

Members should also ensure that their dog and litter records are well-organised and readily available for inspection. This includes your documented Health Management Plan and Veterinary Services Agreement. You will need to have evidence that your breeding dogs have an up-to-date veterinary health check (within the last 12 months), and that their vaccinations and worming is properly documented. If your vet keeps these records for you, you should request a copy before the visit. For more information about record keeping, please refer to the Fact Sheet ‘Dogs Victoria Requirements for Breeders,’ which is available on the Breeding Tab of Dogs Victoria Knowledge Centre, under the Getting Started section.

All Dogs Victoria breeder record keeping templates and forms can be found on our Breeder Resources webpage.

Members may also want to review a copy of the Field Officer’s checklist, which is used during the visit. The Field Officer – Record of Audit/Inspection V1.3 form is available for download here.

What are the possible outcomes of a Field Officer visit?

Please be assured that the Field Officer will take measures to assist members within the scope of the Rules/Regulations.

The Field Officer report is graded on a scale, with each question assigned a weighted score. The overall score is an indication only, and the Field Officer will use the below table to assign the outcome of the visit:

 

In instances where a visit is rated as Unsatisfactory or Welfare Concerns, the matter may be referred to the Chief Executive, Management Committee, or the Breeder Committee. This will necessitate follow-up actions, which, depending on an individual assessment, may include a follow-up visit or the submission of evidence such as photographs or documents. Serious cases of non-compliance may result in disciplinary action being taken.

Does Dogs Victoria report to Government agencies?

Dogs Victoria as an ‘Applicable Organisation’ has statutory obligations under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 and Domestic Animal Regulations 2015.  An example of such is Dogs Victoria must submit an Annual Report to the Victorian Government of certain information, including the number of site inspections undertaken and the number and type of events of non-compliance with our governing framework.

When requested by Authorised Officers of law enforcement agencies such as Council, RSPCA and Victoria Police, Dogs Victoria must disclose necessary information for Authorised Officers to properly execute their duties under legislation.

It is important to note that the Field Officer is not an Authorised Officer under the legislation, and the role is to assist and support members through education.

The Field Officer may act as an intermediary between Dogs Victoria members and Authorised Officers, where doing so would represent the organisation’s or the member’s best interests. These cases involve oversight from Chief Executive or the relevant committee

Contact

To request a Field Officer visit or to speak with the Field Officer, please refer to the contact information on our Dogs Victoria Staff webpage.