Why are there permit conditions for keeping pest animals?
Permit conditions exist to assist in responsible ownership and to minimise the opportunity for pest animals to be released and become established. The harmful effects of animals such as rabbits, foxes, wild dogs, feral goats and feral pigs cost many millions of dollars each year in lost production and degradation of natural resources, and further millions are spent by landholders and government authorities in attempts to minimise the impacts of these pests. These species cause immeasurable harm to the natural environment as well as to primary industry. These costs could have been avoided if the species had not been introduced in the first place.
