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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Animal Welfare Act 1999

Provisions relating to administration - Offences

159: Obstruction of inspector or auxiliary officer

You could also call this:

"It's an offence to stop an animal welfare inspector from doing their job"

Illustration for Animal Welfare Act 1999

You can commit an offence if you wilfully obstruct or hinder an inspector or auxiliary officer. They must be doing their job under the Animal Welfare Act 1999. If you commit this offence, you can be liable for a fine or imprisonment. You can get a fine of up to $5,000 or imprisonment for up to 3 months if you are an individual. You can also get both a fine and imprisonment. If you are a body corporate, you can get a fine of up to $25,000. The rules about fines and imprisonment can be found in the Criminal Procedure Act 2011. This Act was used to amend the rules on 1 July 2013. The amendment was made by section 413 of the Act.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM51906.

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Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal lawAnimal welfare > Animal protection
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Part 7Provisions relating to administration
Offences

159Obstruction of inspector or auxiliary officer

  1. A person commits an offence who wilfully obstructs or hinders an inspector or auxiliary officer in the exercise of the inspector's or auxiliary officer's powers or in the performance of the inspector's or auxiliary officer's duties under this Act.

  2. A person who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable on conviction,—

  3. in the case of an individual, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to both; or
    1. in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $25,000.

      Notes
      • Section 159(2): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).