Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Animal Welfare Act 1999

Conduct towards animals - Ill-treating, hunting, or killing wild animals or animals in wild state

30B: Hunting or killing

You could also call this:

"Hunting or killing animals has rules to follow"

If you hunt or kill an animal in the wild, it is not against the law. You can hunt or kill wild animals or pests if you follow the rules in the Wildlife Act 1953, Wild Animal Control Act 1977, Conservation Act 1987, Biosecurity Act 1993, or other laws. You can also hunt game animals if you follow the rules in the Game Animal Council Act 2013.

You can catch fish from a constructed pond. But you must remember that there are other rules you must follow, which are in sections 30A and 30C to 30E, and Part 6.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6475335.

Topics:
Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Farming and fishing
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30A: Wilful or reckless ill-treatment of wild animals or animals in wild state, or

"Harming wild animals on purpose or by being reckless is against the law and can lead to big fines or prison."

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30C: Hunting in safari parks, or

"Hunting animals in safari parks is allowed, but you must follow animal welfare rules."

Part 2Conduct towards animals
Ill-treating, hunting, or killing wild animals or animals in wild state

30BHunting or killing

  1. Nothing in this Act makes it unlawful to hunt or kill—

  2. any animal in a wild state; or
    1. any wild animal or pest in accordance with the provisions of—
      1. the Wildlife Act 1953; or
        1. the Wild Animal Control Act 1977; or
          1. the Conservation Act 1987; or
            1. the Biosecurity Act 1993; or
              1. any other Act; or
              2. any other wild animal or pest; or
                1. any game animal in accordance with the provisions of the Game Animal Council Act 2013; or
                  1. any fish caught from a constructed pond.

                    1. Subsection (1) is subject to sections 30A and 30C to 30E and Part 6.

                    Compare
                    • s 19(1)(c), (2)
                    Notes
                    • Section 30B: inserted, on , by section 20 of the Animal Welfare Amendment Act (No 2) 2015 (2015 No 49).