Introduce Arnie's Law: Stronger Penalties for Crimes Against Pets

Introduce Arnie's Law: Stronger Penalties for Crimes Against Pets

Recent signers:
Erica Smith and 10 others have signed recently.

The issue

To: The Premier of Queensland. The Hon. David Crisafulli, and the Queensland Government.

We. the undersigned, call on the Queensland Government to introduce "Arnie's Law" to strengthen protections for companion animals, following the tragic death of Arnie, a German Shepherd, tragically died after allegedly being left in a vehicle by the owner and later found deceased. This heartbreaking loss has deeply affected the community, highlighting a gap in the law regarding the protection of Pets.

While recent police updates have clarified the circumstances of Arnie's death, this tragedy has highlighted a broader and ongoing issue: current penalties do not adequately reflect the seriousness of losing an animal, the penalties often fail to reflect the true seriousness of the offence.

We believe there needs to be clearer, stronger legal protections for pets.

Arnie's Law would:

  1. Ensuring that causing the serious injury or death of a companion animal during a crime is treated as a serious offence, with penalties that reflect the harm caused.
  2. Increase penalties, including custodial options, for offenders whose actions lead to the serious harm or death of a pet.
  3. Recognise companion animals as sentient beings, not property
  4. Introduce clear sentencing guidelines for cases where an animal is harmed or killed due to reckless, negligent, or criminal conduct.

Pets are family to many. When a pet loses its life due to someone's action, whether deliberate, reckless, or occurring during another criminal offence, the law must recognise the seriousness of that loss.

We call on the Government to urgently strengthen animal protection laws to ensure accountability, consistency and justice for pets.

Please sign and share this petition to help make Arnie's Law a reality. 

Note - I am not asking anyone to donate money. Change.org may show a "chip in" button, this does not go to me, and I don't control this feature. It is used by the platform to run ads to promote the petition. Your signature alone is enough. Thank you for your support!

avatar of the starter
Melissa ReynoldsPetition starter
Media enquiries

129,246

Recent signers:
Erica Smith and 10 others have signed recently.

The issue

To: The Premier of Queensland. The Hon. David Crisafulli, and the Queensland Government.

We. the undersigned, call on the Queensland Government to introduce "Arnie's Law" to strengthen protections for companion animals, following the tragic death of Arnie, a German Shepherd, tragically died after allegedly being left in a vehicle by the owner and later found deceased. This heartbreaking loss has deeply affected the community, highlighting a gap in the law regarding the protection of Pets.

While recent police updates have clarified the circumstances of Arnie's death, this tragedy has highlighted a broader and ongoing issue: current penalties do not adequately reflect the seriousness of losing an animal, the penalties often fail to reflect the true seriousness of the offence.

We believe there needs to be clearer, stronger legal protections for pets.

Arnie's Law would:

  1. Ensuring that causing the serious injury or death of a companion animal during a crime is treated as a serious offence, with penalties that reflect the harm caused.
  2. Increase penalties, including custodial options, for offenders whose actions lead to the serious harm or death of a pet.
  3. Recognise companion animals as sentient beings, not property
  4. Introduce clear sentencing guidelines for cases where an animal is harmed or killed due to reckless, negligent, or criminal conduct.

Pets are family to many. When a pet loses its life due to someone's action, whether deliberate, reckless, or occurring during another criminal offence, the law must recognise the seriousness of that loss.

We call on the Government to urgently strengthen animal protection laws to ensure accountability, consistency and justice for pets.

Please sign and share this petition to help make Arnie's Law a reality. 

Note - I am not asking anyone to donate money. Change.org may show a "chip in" button, this does not go to me, and I don't control this feature. It is used by the platform to run ads to promote the petition. Your signature alone is enough. Thank you for your support!

avatar of the starter
Melissa ReynoldsPetition starter
Media enquiries

The Decision Makers

Jonty Bush MP
Jonty Bush MP
Member for Cooper
Responded
“Dear friends On behalf of those who have worked tirelessly to bring Arnie’s Law to the floor of Queensland's Parliament, I want to begin with two simple words: thank you. In November last year this beautiful German Shepherd, Arnie, lost his life. Not through accident or illness but through wilful neglect and cruelty. Arnie’s case captured the attention and horror of the nation, and through your action we have been able to give Arnie the voice he has not yet been afforded. To the principal petitioners, your tireless courage and conviction in standing up for Arnie, and for every animal who cannot speak for themselves, has been extraordinary. You started a conversation that Queensland could not ignore and it was my pleasure to table your work, alongside the 1280,000+ signatures on the floor of Queensland Parliament on Thursday 23 April. Queensland must formally recognise animals as sentient beings and ensure they are afforded proper justice, but with animal cruelty prosecutions plummeting from around 238 cases in 2020–21 to just five in 2023–24, it is clear our current laws are not working and require urgent reform. Arnie's story, as many of you know, does not exist in isolation, we have an obligation to ensure that the voices of our most vulnerable are heard. Identifying and responding to those who abuse animals is not only an animal rights issue, but an issue of safety for our most vulnerable. There is a well-established link between animal abuse and domestic and family violence (DFV), with research consistently showing that harm to pets is often used as a tool of coercion, control and intimidation. Perpetrators may threaten, injure or kill animals to instil fear, punish victims, or prevent them from leaving, particularly where emotional bonds with pets are strong. Studies in Australia have found that a significant proportion of women experiencing DFV report concerns for their animals’ safety, and some delay leaving violent relationships because they cannot secure safe accommodation for their pets. This intersection has been recognised by organisations such as RSPCA Australia and Safe Pets Safe Families, which highlight that animal abuse is not an isolated issue but part of a broader pattern of violence, and an important indicator for early intervention across animal welfare and DFV services. To everyone who signed this petition, the tabling of this petition wouldn’t have been possible without you. Your names represent a clear and unmistakable message to our Parliament that Queensland's animal welfare laws are no longer fit for purpose, and that they do not reflect the values of our community. I am pleased to share within less than 24 hours of tabling this petition during my speech in Parliament, we received a written commitment from the Attorney-General's office that a formal meeting will be coordinated. This is a direct result of your voices, and it is only the beginning. I look forward to sharing with you the outcomes of that meeting and what comes next. In solidarity Jonty Bush MP Member for Cooper”
David Crusafulli
David Crusafulli
Queensland Premier

Supporter voices

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Petition created on 18 November 2025