Sundae’s Law is a proposed amendment to the Domestic Animals Act 1994 (VIC) that will ban people from owning a dog for 10 years and fine them if they dump a dog for any reason or surrender a dog for behaviour. The proposed amendment will include outlawing convenience euthanasia in order to hold dog owners accountable for failing to manage dogs they voluntarily acquired.

Sundae’s Law seeks to redefine dog ownership as a serious, long-term legal and ethical responsibility not a casual choice. It will impose enforceable consequences on individuals who surrender, dump, or euthanise dogs for convenience or preventable behavioural reasons. By doing so, it aims to reduce the burden on shelters and rescue groups, ensuring resources are directed toward animals in genuine need not those failed by negligent ownership.

Sundae’s Law for my dog Sundae.

I know exactly how this happens because I know how I failed. The dogs in pounds, shelters and on the euthanasia list generally follow a predictable route: an inexperienced dog owner gets a high-drive working breed with no knowledge, no structure, no plan and then is shocked when the dog behaves exactly how it was bred to.

Sundae’s is alive and happy - the result of years of intensive effort to correct the consequences of acquiring a dog I was unprepared to have and had no right to have, something many dogs don’t survive. Most people will never put in the work that I did.

People get border collies, kelpies, heelers or other working breeds because they’re trending, cute, or they want a smart dog.

Then they’re shocked when the dog barks at strangers. Herds their children. Lunges or nips at movement. Or has a meltdown and becomes reactive, destructive or exhibits excessive barking from no mental stimulation or breed enrichment. 

They set these dogs up for failure and then dump them, surrender them, or kill them when they realise they are in over their heads. 

Then they go out and do it again. There is no restriction. No consequence.

That ends with Sundae’s Law.

What Sundae’s Law Will Do:

Ban dog ownership for 10 years

For anyone who:

Dumps a dog
Surrenders a dog for behavioural reasons
Euthanises a dog without a valid and documented cause

Outlaw convenience euthanasia:

Behavioural euthanasia only legal with sign-off by a registered vet behaviourist

Must show all avenues were exhausted: training, management, safety protocols
Vets who euthanise without justification face fines, investigation, and possible suspension

Fine those individuals:

$3,000–$7,500 per offence for dog owners 
Additional 3-year ban if false or concealed reasoning is used

Create a statewide ownership registry:

Every dog in Victoria must be registered by legal name, ID, and microchip

Tracks transfers, surrenders, euthanasia, and council registration
Flags banned individuals
Dogs owned by banned people are subject to seizure

Ban irresponsible breeders and sellers for life:

If they sell to banned individuals
Or commit repeated registration breaches

Strengthen cruelty law (POCTA):

Killing your own dog to avoid legal consequence becomes a criminal offence
$44,000 fine and up to 3 years’ imprisonment

12-18 Month Grace Period for Transition:

The law will include a full 12-18 month implementation window
Rescues, shelters and vets will not be penalised for existing overload or triage decisions made before enforcement

The grace period allows for:

Registry integration
Public education
Breeder regulation
Shelter and rescue adaptation and coordination with vet behaviourists

Why This Law Matters

This law forces people to stop getting dogs they can’t manage and have an understanding of the breed and its requirements before they get it.

It ends the cycle of impulsive ownership and repeat harm. 

Sundae’s Law prevents people from failing one dog and then moving on to the next.

Rescues are at full capacity.

Pounds are bursting at the seems.

Young healthy dogs are dying because they were surrendered for being exactly what they were bred to be, because people didn’t do their research, they didn’t seek help, and didn’t try.

This law stops that at the source.

Sundae’s Law

This law isn’t about perfection and does not punish dog owners who do the right thing. 

It’s about responsibility and accountability for the ones who don’t and ensuring they do not get the opportunity to do it again.

You don’t get to dump a dog, kill a dog, or walk away and then go do it again like nothing happened.

That ends here.

Sign this petition to demand the Victorian Government add Sundae’s Law to the Domestic Animals Act 1994.

Fewer dogs will die. Fewer rescues will collapse. And people will finally be held accountable for the damage they cause due to their own negligence.