Animal Welfare Legislation

• Veterinarians have specific powers and obligations under the Animal Welfare Act 1999, and should be familiar with these. See http://www.nzva.org.nz/files/sharedimages/C12_Animal_Welfare_Act_1999_22...

• In New Zealand, animal welfare is covered by the Animal Welfare Act 1999 http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1999/0142/latest/DLM49664.html..., which replaced the Animals Protection Act (1960) on January 1 2000. This law requires those responsible for animals to “attend properly to the welfare of those animals” by ensuring that the “physical, health and behavioural needs of the animal are met in a manner that is in accordance with both good practice and scientific knowledge”.

• Every practical effort should be made to achieve the following five requirements, which are seen as the basis for those welfare needs:

1. Proper and sufficient food and water;
2. Adequate shelter;
3. Opportunity to display normal patterns of behaviour;
4. Physical handling in a manner which minimises the likelihood of unreasonable pain or distress;
5. Protection from, and rapid diagnosis of, any significant injury or disease.

• Two advisory committees, the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC)  http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/regs/animal-welfare/nz/nawac and the National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC)  http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/regs/animal-welfare/nz/naeac advise the Minister of Agriculture on issues of animal welfare.