Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Animal Welfare Act 1999

Conduct towards animals - Ill-treatment of animals

29: Further offences

You could also call this:

"Breaking the law by being cruel to animals or helping others to be cruel"

Illustration for Animal Welfare Act 1999

You commit an offence if you ill-treat an animal. You also commit an offence if you keep or use a place to make animals fight or to ill-treat them. You are not allowed to be at a place where animals are fighting or being ill-treated if you are there to watch. You commit an offence if you help or encourage animals to fight or be ill-treated. You also commit an offence if you release an animal from captivity in a way that will cause it pain or distress. You are not allowed to help someone else do something that will cause an animal pain or distress. You can find more information about the laws that have changed this provision on the New Zealand legislation website. You can read about the Animal Welfare Amendment Act (No 2) 2015 to learn more. This law helps keep animals safe.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM50430.

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28A: Reckless ill-treatment of animals, or

"Hurting animals on purpose can lead to big fines or jail time."

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30: Strict liability, or

"No excuse is needed to be guilty of hurting an animal, but you can defend yourself if you tried to prevent harm."

Part 2Conduct towards animals
Ill-treatment of animals

29Further offences

  1. A person commits an offence who—

  2. ill-treats an animal; or
      1. keeps or uses a place for the purpose of causing an animal to fight, or for the purpose of baiting or otherwise ill-treating an animal, or manages or assists in the management of, any such place; or
        1. is present, for the purpose of witnessing the fighting or baiting of an animal, at a place used or kept for the purpose; or
          1. in any manner encourages, aids, or assists in the fighting or baiting of an animal; or
              1. releases an animal, being an animal that has been kept in captivity, in circumstances in which the animal is likely to suffer unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress; or
                1. counsels, procures, aids, or abets any other person to do an act or refrain from doing an act as a result of which an animal suffers unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress.

                  Notes
                  • Section 29(b): repealed, on , by section 19 of the Animal Welfare Amendment Act (No 2) 2015 (2015 No 49).
                  • Section 29(f): repealed, on , by section 19 of the Animal Welfare Amendment Act (No 2) 2015 (2015 No 49).