Codes of Welfare

The Animal Welfare Act provides for the issue of codes of welfare that:

• promote appropriate behaviour,
• establish minimum standards
• promote best practice for people owning or looking after animals.

The codes outline the basic level of animal management and care required, but are flexible enough to be modified and improved as community expectations, scientific knowledge and technical advances allow.

See Guide to the Animal Welfare Act of 1999

They must be reviewed at least every 10 years.

Recommended best practices in the codes are not legally binding. But minimum standards are – failing to meet a minimum standard can support a prosecution under the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

Similarly, evidence of meeting or exceeding minimum standards can be used as a defence against prosecution.

Creating codes of welfare

Anyone can draft a code of welfare (113 Kb). It must then be submitted to NAWAC for consideration and public consultation.

Consultation on Codes of Welfare:

• Commercial slaughter: recommended to Minister
• Dairy cattle: submissions being considered by NAWAC
• Dogs: submissions being summarised
• Sheep and beef cattle: public consultation anticipated May 2008

Codes of Welfare Currently Under Development:

• Transport in New Zealand
• Temporary housing (including boarding establishments)

Codes of Welfare Under Review:

• Broiler Chickens

NAWAC considers public submissions then decides whether to recommend the code to the Minister of Agriculture, to be issued. An accompanying report contains the reasons for the recommendations. These reports are available with the codes below.

• Broiler Chickens (109 Kb) (Fully Housed)
• Broiler Chickens Report (104 Kb)
• Circuses
• Companion Cats
• Deer
• Layer Hens
• Painful Husbandry
• Pigs
• Rodeos (3787 Kb)
• Zoos

For more information on the process NAWAC uses to develop codes, see its guidelines.