LEGISLATION AND REGULATION
Conducting wildlife rehabilitation in Australia requires a permit and wildlife carers must be licenced by their respective state or territory wildlife agency (DEHP 2017). However, legislation is state- and territory-specific and there are a variety of acts, regulations and guidelines related to the care and release of wildlife.
Relevant legislation is summarised in Table 4.1. The guidelines are usually Codes of Practice or Minimum Standards for wildlife rehabilitation (DSE 2011; OEH 2011; DEHP 2013; DES 2023). For instance, the Code of Practice for Care of Sick, Injured or Orphaned Protected Animals in Qld provides recommendations and guidelines to ensure that all care requirements and animal welfare standards are met under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992 and the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (DEHP 2013).As an example of the permit approval process, in Qld the Department of Environment and Science is responsible for the assessment and approval of permits for individuals and organisations intending to undertake wildlife rehabilitation (DEHP 2016). It allows a person holding such a permit to take and care for an injured, diseased or orphaned native wild animal with the purpose of conducting rehabilitation and release back into its natural habitat. The permit can limit the species of wildlife being rehabilitated to ensure they are only given to individuals with appropriate expertise. Permits
Table 4.1. Primary legislation relating to the care and rehabilitation of wildlife in Australia
| State | Act | Regulations | Code of Practice (or similar guidelines) | Animal Welfare | Veterinarians |
| Vic. | Wildlife Act 1975 | Wildlife Regulations 2013 | Animal Welfare Vic. Code of Practice for the Welfare of Wildlife During Rehabilitation; DEECA (Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action) Victorian Wildlife Rehabilitation Guidelines Part A: General Information 2023; DEECA (Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action) Victorian Wildlife Rehabilitation Guidelines Part B: Mammals 2023 | Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 | Veterinary Practice Act 1997; Veterinary Practice Regulations 2008 |
| Tas. | Nature Conservation Act 2002 | Wildlife (General) Regulations 2010 | General Requirements for the Care and Rehabilitation of Injured and Orphaned Wildlife in Tasmania | Animal Welfare Act 1993 | bgcolor=white>Veterinary Surgeons Act 1987; Veterinary Surgeons Regulations 2012 |
| SA | National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 | National Parks and Wildlife (Wildlife) Regulations 2016 | 6 Codes of Practice outline the humane destruction of native wildlife; no guidelines for rehabilitation | Animal Welfare Act 1985 | Veterinary Practice Act 2003; Veterinary Practice Regulations 2005 |
| WA | Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 | Wildlife Conservation Regulations 1970 (general); Wildlife Conservation (Reptiles and Amphibians) Regulations 2002 | Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation in Western Australia 2015 | Animal Welfare Act 2002 | Veterinary Surgeons Act 1960; Veterinary Surgeons Regulations 1979 |
| NT | Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2014 | Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Regulations 2010 | Not available | Animal Welfare Act 2017 | Veterinarians Act 2016; Veterinarians Regulations 2016 |
granted to wildlife care organisations rather than individuals allow members of the organisation to act under the permit, with species restrictions explicitly outlined for each individual (DEHP 2017).
In Qld the Queensland Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (QWRC) is the peak representative organisation for wildlife carers and provides a collective voice for its members.
It focuses on ensuring that animal welfare and minimum standards are fulfilled during the rehabilitation process, providing educational resources for the community and providing training courses for wildlife carers (QWRC 2008). Similar peak bodies with similar goals exist in NSW, Vic., Tas. and WA.Data related to wildlife carers, rescue organisations and rehabilitated wildlife are maintained by the wildlife authority in each state. However, obtaining this information can be difficult because government departments seldom have the staff or resources to collate the information or to maintain an accessible up-to-date database.
2.