Health Act 1956

Powers and duties of local authorities - Animals

58: Restrictions on establishment of stock saleyards

You could also call this:

"Rules for setting up a place to sell animals like cows and sheep"

If you want to set up a stock saleyard, you need to get permission from the local authority and the medical officer of health first. You also need to follow any conditions they set. If you use a place as a stock saleyard after it has not been used for that purpose for at least 2 years, it is like you are setting up a new stock saleyard. You need to get permission and follow the conditions.

You can only use a place as a stock saleyard if it is registered by the local authority. The local authority can refuse to register a place if it is not clean and the owner does not make it clean after being asked to. The local authority can also refuse to register a place if the owner does not make necessary improvements to keep it clean.

If you do not follow the rules, you can get a fine of up to $1,000. If you keep breaking the rules, you can get another fine of up to $100 for each day you break the rules. A stock saleyard is a place where animals like cattle, horses, sheep, swine, or goats are sold.

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This page was last updated on 24 May 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM307037.

57: Local authority may restrict keeping of animals, or

"Councils can limit keeping pets in your area"

59: Appeal against decision refusing consent for stock saleyard or refusing registration of premises for stock saleyard, or

"Appealing a decision about a stock saleyard: what to do if your application is refused"

Part 2Powers and duties of local authorities
Animals

58Restrictions on establishment of stock saleyards

No person shall establish any stock saleyard within the district of any local authority, or extend any stock saleyard, except with the prior consent in writing of the local authority and of the medical officer of health and subject to such conditions as the local authority or the medical officer of health may impose. For the purposes of this subsection a person who uses any premises as a stock saleyard after not less than 2 years' disuse of those premises for the purposes of such a saleyard shall be deemed to establish a stock saleyard.
No person shall use any premises as a stock saleyard unless the premises are for the time being registered by the local authority as a stock saleyard in accordance with regulations made under this Act.
Any local authority may refuse to register or to renew the registration of any premises under this section if—
the medical officer of health certifies that the premises are maintained in an insanitary condition; and
the owner or occupier of the premises, after the certificate is given, fails to comply with a requisition from the local authority requiring the carrying out of such sanitary improvements as the medical officer of health deems necessary.

Every person who acts in contravention of or fails to comply in any respect with any provision of this section or any condition prescribed under this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000 and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $100 for every day on which the offence has continued.
For the purposes of this section, the expression stock saleyard means any premises used or intended to be used as a saleyard for cattle, horses, sheep, swine, or goats.

Notes

Section 58(4): amended, on 1 July 2013, by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
Section 58(4): amended, on 30 November 1979, by section 9 of the Health Amendment Act 1979 (1979 No 64).