Queensland Mulls Reclassifying Dingoes as Household Pets

As of November 8th, 2025, the government of Queensland, Australia, is evaluating a proposal to reclassify dingoes as domestic dogs, which would enable residents to keep the animals as household pets. This potential change is part of a broader review of the state's biosecurity laws, with legislative amendments expected in the coming months.

Currently, dingoes are classified as an invasive species in Queensland, meaning they cannot be released, relocated, fed, sold, or kept. However, the proposed reclassification would lift these restrictions, allowing dingoes to be owned and cared for in private homes.

The move has already faced pushback from wildlife advocates and experts, who argue that dingoes are a distinct species that play a vital ecological role as Australia's apex land predator. Alix Livingstone of the nonprofit Defend the Wild warned that "dingoes are not dogs" and that the change would undermine their irreplaceable position in the country's ecosystem.

Genetics researcher Kylie Cairns also cautioned that dingoes do not make suitable pets, as they are "much smarter" and "better able to escape traditional domestic household environments" compared to domesticated canines. Despite the concerns, dingoes are currently legal to own as pets in the Australian states of New South Wales and Western Australia, though many end up being abandoned or surrendered by their owners.