Animal Welfare Act 1999

Care of animals - Surgical procedures

16: Criteria to determine whether procedure is significant surgical procedure

You could also call this:

"How to decide if an animal's operation is a big deal"

To decide if a procedure on an animal is a significant surgical procedure, you must think about some criteria. You need to consider whether the procedure could cause significant pain or distress, or serious harm if not done by a veterinarian. You also need to think about the type of procedure, including whether it involves surgery under the skin or interference with sensitive tissue.

You have to consider if the procedure is below the surface of the skin, mucous membranes, or teeth, or if it involves physical interference with soft tissue or bone. You must also think about whether the procedure could result in significant loss of tissue. When making this decision, you are looking at the potential effects of the procedure on the animal.

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This page was last updated on 19 May 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM50407.

Topics:

Environment and resources > Farming and fishing

15: Restriction on performance of surgical procedures, or

"Only vets or supervised vet students can do major animal surgeries, others must follow rules"

17: Performance of restricted surgical procedures, or

"Rules for doing certain surgeries on animals"

Part 1Care of animals
Surgical procedures

16Criteria to determine whether procedure is significant surgical procedure

If any person has to determine whether a procedure carried out on an animal is a significant surgical procedure under this Act, the person must determine the question by considering the following criteria:
whether the procedure has the potential to—
1. cause significant pain or distress; or
2. cause serious or lasting harm, or loss of function, if not carried out by a veterinarian in accordance with recognised professional standards; and
the nature of the procedure, including whether this involves—
1. a surgical or operative procedure below the surface of the skin, mucous membranes, or teeth or below the gingival margin; or
2. physical interference with sensitive soft tissue or bone structure; or
3. significant loss of tissue or loss of significant tissue.

Notes

Section 16: replaced, on 9 May 2021, by section 14 of the Animal Welfare Amendment Act (No 2) 2015 (2015 No 49).