Laws
The
Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (the Act) protects the welfare of animals in Queensland.
The Act sets regulations for animal welfare standards. These regulations are the basis for the
Animal Care and Protection Regulation 2023 (the Regulation).
Biosecurity Queensland, a service of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, is the government's lead agency for animal welfare activities in Queensland. They develop, monitor and enforce animal welfare policy, legislation and standards, and educate the community about animal welfare.
In accordance with the
Biosecurity Act 2014, those in charge of animals are responsible for managing biosecurity risks associated with the keeping and moving of these animals.
The maximum penalty for an individual convicted of failure to comply with the legislation is 300 penalty units ($126.15 per unit at 1 July 2017) or 1 year imprisonment. The penalty for cruelty offences is up to 2,000 penalty units or 3 years imprisonment.
Refer to
animal welfare laws in Queensland for further information.
Animal welfare codes of practice
Animal welfare codes of practice contain guidelines and information to ensure the considerate and humane treatment of animals. These codes may be
compulsory or
voluntary.
Compulsory codes of practice
Voluntary codes of practice
Voluntary codes are named in
schedule 4 of the Regulation. These relate mostly to livestock e.g. cattle, goats, sheep. Refer to the
list of animal welfare codes of practice for further information.