The ACT has drafted new animal welfare laws with one of the guidelines “requiring all dogs to have a minimum of three hours of human contact daily”.

These regulations aim to ensure that dog owners meet the welfare needs of their pet by recognising them as sentient beings with emotional capacity and needs.

While these draft laws have been designed to reflect how dogs have evolved to crave and depend on human interaction, many question how realistically they could be policed for something as personal and variable as human connection with a pet.

Image: Image: Shutterstock – Soloviova Liudmyla

Produced By: Maeve Groom

Featured In Story: Associate Professor Susan Hazel at The University of Adelaide’s School of Animal and Veterinary Science

First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 16 July 2025