Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Animal Welfare Act 1999

Care of animals - Offences

12: Animal welfare offences

You could also call this:

"Hurting or neglecting animals is against the law"

Illustration for Animal Welfare Act 1999

You commit an offence if you own or are in charge of an animal and fail to follow the rules in section 10. You also commit an offence if your animal is ill or injured and you fail to follow the rules in section 11. You commit an offence if you kill an animal in a way that causes it unnecessary pain or distress.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM50401.

This page was last updated on — View changes

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal lawEnvironment and resources > Conservation
Previous

11: Obligation to alleviate pain or distress of ill or injured animals, or

"You must help ill or injured animals to stop their pain and suffering."

Next

13: Strict liability, or

"No blame needed: you can still be guilty even if you didn't mean to hurt an animal"

Part 1Care of animals
Offences

12Animal welfare offences

  1. A person commits an offence who, being the owner of, or a person in charge of, an animal,—

  2. fails to comply, in relation to the animal, with section 10; or
    1. fails, in the case of an animal that is ill or injured, to comply, in relation to the animal, with section 11; or
      1. kills the animal in such a manner that the animal suffers unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress.