Last week, I had a visit from a member of the Victorian Department of Animal Welfare performing an audit on our microchip procedures and documentation. 

Inter alia, I was informed that the Central Animal Records (CAR) microchip subscription forms generated by OpenVPMS did not conform to the Act as it was a requirement of the Act that these forms must be completed in the handwriting of the owner or his/her agent.  I had never heard of this requirement before, and, as it doesn't appear on the forms CAR originally provided, I spent last night reading the Act and the Regulations that govern the operation of the Act.

I can find no requirement that the owner or his/her agent complete the form by hand.

In Domestic Animals Regulations 2005, incorporating amendments as at 1 September 2009, I found Section 17 entitled "Obligation to obtain information before implanting device" (http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_reg/dar2005272/s17.html). 

I'll quote it here in full:

17. Obligation to obtain information before implanting device

A person must not implant a permanent identification device in an animal of a
prescribed class of animal unless-

   (a)  the person has obtained the prescribed identifying information (except
        the information required under regulation 12(a)(ix) to (xi)) from the
        owner of that animal; and

   (b) the person is provided with a declaration signed and dated by the
        owner of the animal or the owner's agent stating that the information
        relating to the owner and the animal is true and correct and that the
        person named as the owner is the legal owner of the animal.

It does not stipulate that the owner (or his agent) must hand-write the application.  In conformance with a majority of government forms in existence, the signature and dating of the form by the owner or agent is all that's required.

Based on Section 17 above, it is my opinion that the OpenVPMS form does conform to the requirements of the Act (and must be more accurate and readable than a hand-written document).

I do need to add another field to the form: "ID Number Of Other Permanent ID Device Implanted (if applicable)".  I will do this and upload the new form to the "Shared Resources" section here in the next day or so.

Yuri.