Authorised Officers, including the Conservation Regulator’s Forest and Wildlife Officers, monitor compliance with and enforce laws relating to our natural resources, public land and wildlife.
Authorised Officers work with the community, including wildlife licence holders, to support them to understand and meet their responsibilities.
Authorised Officers wear uniforms and are authorised under specific legislation to enforce the law, including issuing infringement notices that carry penalties for not complying. Under the Wildlife Act 1975, Authorised Officers have the power to, at any reasonable time, and having regard to the circumstances:
- Enter, inspect or search any property, buildings, structure, vehicles or boats for the purposes of the Act. This can occur with or without notice.
- Ask to see, inspect or take photos of any wildlife held under your authorisation or wildlife licence
- Ask to see, inspect or make copies of your record books and any other documentation associated with your authorisation or wildlife licence
- Inspect any parcel, bag or receptacle the officer reasonably believes is being used or is likely to be used in contravention of the Act (for example, a cardboard box they believe holds wildlife; a hunter’s bags or esky)
- Investigate reports of alleged illegal activity relating to wildlife
- Seize wildlife in your possession, if the officer reasonably believes an offence against the Act has been, is being, or is about to be, committed
- Seize anything which the officer believes has been used or has assisted with an offence against the Act
- Direct you in writing to make specific changes or alterations to animal enclosures. This must be done within the period specified in the direction.
If requested, you must:
- Give the Authorised Officer your name and address
- Allow an Authorised Officer to inspect wildlife held by you (including inside your house at any reasonable time) for monitoring compliance with the Wildlife Act, regulations and conditions of your licence. If you don’t provide reasonable access to all wildlife you hold, your licence may be cancelled.
- Produce your record book for inspection
- Allow the Authorised Officer to search your vehicle, boat or property
- Provide anything the Authorised Officer tells you is seized
- Comply with any legal notice issued under the Wildlife Act 1975 regarding wildlife in your possession
- Not obstruct, threaten or abuse an Authorised Officer during the conduct of their duties
You can expect our Authorised Officers will act with honesty, impartiality and in a way that is procedurally fair. We will engage with you respectfully and in good faith and we ask that you do the same. Whilst we will undertake a number of activities to support you to understand and comply with the laws we regulate, the responsibility for complying with these laws rests with you as a wildlife licence holder.
You have rights when interacting with an Authorised Officer, including the right to ask to see an Authorised Officer’s identification, not answer any questions that you think might incriminate you, request a receipt for anything seized from you (including wildlife), and request that an officer visit your home at a more reasonable time. You will be informed of your rights if you are being interviewed about an offence. You must, however, state your full name and correct address if asked.
If you have a complaint about the way an Authorised Officer or Forest and Wildlife Officer has interacted with you, you can submit a complaint to the Department by emailing or writing to us. Further information about our complaint handling process is available on the DEECA contact webpage.
Email
CR.internalreview@deeca.vic.gov.au
Write
Conservation Regulator Internal Review,
PO Box 500, East Melbourne VIC 8002
Visit DEECA complaint handling process(opens in a new window)
Failure to comply can result in fines of up to 100 penalty units (over $19,000) and may result in your licence being suspended, cancelled, or not renewed.
Penalties for cruelty
In addition to your wildlife licence conditions, you are obligated to adhere to other relevant legislation. The welfare of all animals in Victoria is protected under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 (POCTA Act). Anyone who commits an act of cruelty is liable for an offence under the POCTA Act. Failure to comply with some of the conditions of your licence may also be an offence under the POCTA Act. For example, displaying nocturnal wildlife in a bright or noisy environment may be both a breach of your licence conditions and an offence under the POCTA Act.
The penalties for offences under the POCTA Act are serious. Penalties include fines of over $40,000 or jail for up to 12 months for animal cruelty (for individuals), and fines of over $80,000 or imprisonment for up to two years for aggravated cruelty. Aggravated cruelty is cruelty that causes the death or serious disablement of an animal.
Penalties for illegally obtained or traded wildlife
When obtaining or trading wildlife, you must ensure that the other person has a current and valid wildlife licence. If you are not sure if a wildlife licence is valid or required, email us. It is illegal to obtain or trade wildlife without a valid licence.
You must also ensure that:
- The wildlife is a prescribed taxa of wildlife listed in the Schedules to the Wildlife Regulations 2024
- The wildlife is a species that you and the other person can legally obtain and trade. This information is attached to your licence conditions.
Under no circumstances can you possess wildlife obtained from the wild. In Victoria, sick, injured or orphaned wildlife can only be rehabilitated by a wildlife rehabilitator. A wildlife rehabilitator is a wildlife shelter operator or foster carer who is authorised under section 28A of the Wildlife Act.
It is an offence to possess wildlife from an unlawful source under sections 45 and 47 of the Wildlife Act. This includes animals from the wild.
Offences under section 45 carry a penalty of 240 penalty units (over $45,000) or 24 months imprisonment, or both the fine and imprisonment and an additional penalty of 20 penalty units (over $3,500) for every head of wildlife in respect of which an offence has been committed.
Offences under section 47 carry a penalty of 50 penalty units (over $9,500) or six months imprisonment, or both the fine and imprisonment and an additional penalty of five penalty units (over $900) for every head of wildlife in respect of which an offence has been committed.
If wildlife is offered to you from an unlawful source, do not accept the animal and call or email us.
Updated