Left unprotected: Animal welfare law reform and the enforcement gap

Companion animal ownership in Australia is at record levels, yet neglect and cruelty remain widespread. In Queensland, enforcement of companion animal protection operates through a polycentric regulatory model involving the Department of Primary Industries, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Queensland Police Service. Amendments to the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (Qld) in 2022, intended to strengthen enforcement, inadvertently removed the QPS’s prosecutorial authority, creating an enforcement gap and confusion among regulators. This error was not rectified until 2026 via amendments to the police powers regulation. This article explores how these changes undermined regulatory efficacy and left companion animals vulnerable to a lack of legislative protection.