Minimum standards and recommendations for best practice
The original codes of recommendations and minimum standards were prepared by the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC).The committee was established in 1989 by the then Minister of Agriculture to advise on matters concerning animal welfare. The codes were voluntary and had no legal standing under the Animals Protection Act 1960.
The Animal Welfare Act 1999 established the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC), which replaced AWAC, and provided for the issue of codes of welfare with legal effect.
The codes of recommendations and minimum standards will be reviewed and replaced by codes of welfare over the next five to 10 years.
The following codes of recommendations and minimum standards have yet to be reviewed. Where a Code of Welfare has been issued, it supersedes any information that may be contained in the Codes of Recommendations and Minimum Standards shown below. If a Code of Welfare has not been issued, then the Code of Recommendations and Minimum Standards continue to provide useful guidelines.
- Animals in Boarding Establishments
- Animals at Saleyards
- Animals at the Time of Slaughter at Licensed and Approved Premises
- Animals Transported within New Zealand
- Bobby Calves
- Dairy Cattle (Also refer to Code of Welfare for Painful Husbandry Procedures)
- Deer during the Removal of Antlers (Also refer to Code of Welfare for Deer)
- Guidelines for the Welfare of Red & Wapiti Yearling Stags During the Use of Rubber Rings to Induce Analgesia for the Removal of Spiker Velvet
(1954 KB) (Also refer to Code of Welfare for Deer) - Guidelines for the Welfare of Yearling Fallow Deer During the Use of Rubber Rings to Prevent Antler/Pedicle Growth (2124 KB) (Also refer to Code of Welfare for Deer)
- Dogs
- Emergency Slaughter of Farm Livestock
- Horses
- Ostrich and Emu
- Sale of Companion Animals (Also refer to Code of Welfare for Companion Cats)
- Sea Transport of Sheep from New Zealand
- Sheep (Also refer to Code of Welfare for Painful Husbandry Procedures)
Page last updated: 14 May 2009