Pets in parks policy

6. Yes. You can bring an assistance animal into a park, including camping areas and other on-park accommodation, provided:
   1. the area is open to the public
   2. the animal is working as an assistance animal at the time i.e., not training or being exercised
   3. you can provide reasonable proof that the animal is an assistance animal.
7. NPWS encourages people with assistance animals to contact the local NPWS Office before entering the park or booking accommodation. This will help NPWS make any arrangements needed to ensure the visit to the park is safe and enjoyable.
8. NPWS accepts a range of evidence options in recognition of the variation in accreditation schemes across states and territories and the right of a person with a disability to train their assistance animal.

9. One of the following items or documents is sufficient:

   1. a coat, cape, vest, badge, harness, medallion, permit or other similar visible item worn by the animal that is provided by an appropriate training organisation (such as one accredited by Assistance Dogs International) that clearly identifies the animal as an assistance animal
   2. registration papers (or other recognition) from a local council in Australia showing that the dog (or other animal) is registered as an assistance animal under the Companion Animals Act 1998 or other state or territory legislation
   3. an assistance animal transport pass or permit issued by a state or territory government
   4. state or territory certification or accreditation of assistance animals
   5. documents that show the animal has completed a training program with an appropriate organisation, to meet standards of hygiene and behaviour for an animal in a public place, sometimes referred to as the Public Access Test (PAT test).

   Supporting medical or other specialist advice may be provided but is not essential.

    

10. Regardless of who trains an assistance animal, it is the responsibility of the owner to provide reasonable proof of the types listed above or evidence that the animal has been trained to alleviate the effect of the disability and that such training satisfies the hygiene and behaviour standards set out in clause 9(e).
11. The person with the assistance animal (or another person accompanying them) is responsible for keeping the assistance animal under effective control at all times and removing any faeces deposited by the animal. Owners are liable for any property damage caused by an assistance animal.
12. Where locally available, NPWS may offer a temporary coat/badge, or other forms of visual identification for the assistance animal to wear while visiting a park. This may be useful in managing interactions with other visitors. However, using these items is entirely at the discretion of the owner of the assistance animal. NPWS may also display a sign to inform other visitors that an assistance animal is present in the park, campground or precinct.

13. Pets are normally prohibited within vehicles in national parks and reserves. However, you may drive on a publicly accessible road through a park, to get to a destination outside the park, with a pet in your car if:
    • you comply with any conditions in the park's plan of management
    • there is no sign which prohibits driving through a park with a pet in your vehicle
    • you do not stop to visit the park or to use park facilities (unless for safety reasons or to use publicly accessible toilets)
    • you keep your pets inside the vehicle while driving through the park.
14. NPWS may prohibit the transport of pets in a vehicle on a publicly accessible road through a park to protect park values and biodiversity, to ensure public safety, or to minimise the risk of visitors with pets entering a park without consent. Any such prohibition will be communicated by erecting signs and/or including a statement in the park's plan of management.
15. If you need to go through a park to access private property within or adjacent to the park, NPWS may authorise you to take your pets with you if there is no other practical access route to the property. However, you must check with your local NPWS Office to find out which parks this applies to, and whether a consent is required. You will be required to:
    • keep your pets inside the vehicle while crossing the park
    • act in accordance with any conditions stated in a consent or plan of management for the park.

16. Working dogs (i.e. dogs used for managing or protecting stock) can travel through a park if they are being used to move stock along an authorised stock route. A park's plan of management will identify the location of travelling stock routes through a park and may include provisions about working dogs. You must contact the relevant NPWS Office before bringing working dogs into a park.

17. Domestic animals, particularly dogs, are sometimes used by NPWS for park management purposes such as weed detection, threatened species protection, law enforcement, search and rescue, asset protection, and stock and feral animal control. NPWS may authorise the use of dogs or other animals for these and other park management purposes.

18. Unaccompanied pets in parks will be removed and taken to the nearest local council animal pound, wherever possible and practical.
19. NPWS undertakes pest management programs in parks, which may present a lethal risk to pets.

Policy adopted October 2001.

Policy last updated September 2024.

Scope and application

This policy applies to all lands acquired or reserved under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 except for lands reserved under Part 4A of the NPW Act (unless the Board of Management for those lands has adopted the policy). However, NPWS staff can use the policy as guidance in their dealings with Boards of Management.

Objectives

This policy aims to communicate:

• that pets are not generally permitted in parks
• that assistance animals are permitted in parks, subject to appropriate evidence being provided
• the rules for travelling across parks with pets, working dogs, and use of dogs by NPWS.

Definitions

Acquired land means land acquired by the Minister under Part 11 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, but that has not been reserved as a national park or other type of reserve.

Assistance animals are trained to assist a person with a disability to alleviate the effect of that disability. They provide an important service that can enable people to more fully participate in personal and public life activities with more confidence and independence.

Consistent with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth), the NSW Office of Local Government defines an assistance animal as a dog or other animal that is either:

• accredited under a law of a State or Territory that provides for the accreditation of animals trained to assist a person with a disability to alleviate the effect of that disability
• accredited by an animal training organisation prescribed by the Commonwealth
• trained to assist a person with a disability to alleviate the effect of that disability, and, to meet standards of hygiene and behaviour appropriate for an animal in a public place.

Therapy Animals are not assistance animals, they provide therapeutic interactions in facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities etc. Therapy animals do not have public access rights as assistance animals.

Disability has the same meaning as in the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

Park means an area of land reserved under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (including a national park, nature reserve, historic site, Aboriginal area, state conservation area, karst conservation reserve, regional park) or any land acquired by the Minister under Part 11 of the Act.

Park roads are roads reserved as part of a park that are open to the public, although they can be closed for park management reasons.

Pet means an animal generally kept in a domestic situation for the benefit of the animal and its owner. Pets may be native or non-native animals including (but not limited to) dogs, cats, other small mammals, reptiles and birds, but not horses and other livestock.

Plan of management means a plan of management prepared under Part 5 of the NPW Act.

Working dog means a dog used primarily for droving, tending, working or protecting stock.

Accountabilities

This section outlines NPWS staff with significant responsibilities for ensuring implementation of the policy.

The accountable officer may allocate this role to an officer authorised under the relevant Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water delegation instrument.