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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Animal Welfare Act 1999

Care of animals - Surgical procedures

15: Restriction on performance of surgical procedures

You could also call this:

"Rules for doing surgery on animals"

Illustration for Animal Welfare Act 1999

You cannot perform significant surgical procedures on animals unless you are a veterinarian. You can be a student training to be a veterinarian if a veterinarian supervises you. A veterinarian must be present when supervising students performing significant surgical procedures. You can perform non-significant surgical procedures on animals, but you must follow the rules in Parts 2 and 6 and any regulations made under section 183B. You must not cause animals unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress when performing non-significant surgical procedures. A veterinarian or a supervised student can perform significant surgical procedures, but others can only perform non-significant ones. You have to be careful when performing non-significant surgical procedures to avoid causing animals pain or distress.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM50406.

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16: Criteria to determine whether procedure is significant surgical procedure, or

"How to Decide if an Animal Needs a Vet for a Big Operation"

Part 1Care of animals
Surgical procedures

15Restriction on performance of surgical procedures

  1. Except as provided in regulations made under section 183B, no person may perform any significant surgical procedure on an animal unless that person is—

  2. a veterinarian; or
    1. a person who is acting under the direct supervision of a veterinarian and who is a student undergoing his or her training to become a veterinarian.

      1. A veterinarian who, for the purpose of teaching veterinary science, supervises the performance of a significant surgical procedure, must be present throughout the performance of that surgical procedure.

      2. Any person may, subject to subsection (4) and to Parts 2 and 6 and to any regulations made under section 183B, perform on an animal any surgical procedure that is not a significant surgical procedure.

      3. No person may, in performing on an animal a surgical procedure that is not a significant surgical procedure, perform that surgical procedure in such a manner that the animal suffers unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress.

      Notes
      • Section 15(1): amended, on , by section 13(1) of the Animal Welfare Amendment Act (No 2) 2015 (2015 No 49).
      • Section 15(1)(b): replaced, on , by section 13(2) of the Animal Welfare Amendment Act (No 2) 2015 (2015 No 49).
      • Section 15(3): amended, on , by section 13(3) of the Animal Welfare Amendment Act (No 2) 2015 (2015 No 49).