Animal Welfare
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MAF committed to ensuring animal welfare standards
A national strategy for New Zealand’s animal welfare system is being developed to help clarify our core animal welfare values and build a shared understanding of how our animal welfare systems need to improve or change over time. Read more here.
New Zealand’s world class animal welfare standards support our society’s expectations for the welfare and humane treatment of animals. They also contribute to New Zealand’s reputation as a trusted and sustainable producer of animals and animal products.
But what is animal welfare? When the term is mentioned, it conjures up a broad range of responses. According to World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Guidelines, welfare is a term that includes the many elements that contribute to an animal’s quality of life.
New Zealand’s Animal Welfare Act 1999 – referred to as the Act - requires owners and people in charge of animals ensure that the physical, health and behavioural needs of animals are met, and that pain and distress are alleviated. This requires a duty of care based on the “Five Freedoms”.
These Five Freedoms are considered the key to good animal welfare by the OIE, and mean that you need to ensure your animals have:
- proper and sufficient food and water
- adequate shelter
- opportunity to display normal patterns of behaviour
- handling without unnecessary pain or distress
- protection from and rapid diagnosis of injury or disease
This relates to codes of welfare, which are documents that outline the basic level of management and care required for particular animals, and establish minimum standards and recommend best practices.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) administers the Act and leads animal welfare policy and practice in New Zealand. It promotes policies for the humane treatment of animals and handles complaints about non-compliance with the Act including cases of animal ill-treatment or cruelty. The Royal New Zealand SPCA is also an approved organisation with responsibility for enforcing the Act.
Within New Zealand’s animal welfare framework there is a highly cohesive structure of groups that work together to promote animal welfare policy and practice. These organisations work closely to provide input into varying areas of animal welfare.
- A Guide to the Animal Welfare Act 1999 – includes background about development of the Act, care and conduct towards animals, codes of welfare and advisory committees
- A Guide to Part 6 of the Animal Welfare Act 1999
(17011 KB) – Part 6 of the Act specifically relates to the use of animals in research, testing and teaching
To find out more about the topics discussed on this webpage and animal welfare in New Zealand, browse and select from the tabs on the left hand side of this page for specific detail about animals in research, codes of welfare, Ministerial advisory committees, all publications, traps and devices, and animal welfare export certificates.
Page last updated: 1 February 2012