Public input sought on NZ code of welfare for horses

New Zealand’s National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee is seeking populace feedback on the Draft Code of Welfare for horses.

The draft is a revision of the existing code. Submissions closed on March 12.

Committee chairman John Hellström said the code advised owners or those inwards accuse of horses close how they tin comply amongst their obligations nether the Animal Welfare Act 1999 to come across the animals’ physical,  health as well as behavioural needs as well as to alleviate hurting as well as distress.

The Act’s obligations are written inwards full general damage as well as it is codes of welfare for each species that comprise the detailed minimum standards of attention as well as recommendations for best practice.

Minimum standards inwards the code accept legal resultant equally they may hold out used inwards prove inwards the prosecution of offences
nether the Act. Demonstrating compliance amongst minimum standards may hold out used inwards defending a prosecution.

The draft code applies to all horses, ponies, donkeys as well as crossbreds that are kept for whatever locomote inwards New Zealand, including those kept equally companions, for breeding, for sport, amusement or equally working animals.

The code equally good applied to unbroken as well as undomesticated horses contained for administration purposes.

The proposed minimum standards relate to stockmanship as well as brute handling; restraint as well as containment; saddlery as well as equipment; the provision of food, H2O as well as shelter; housing facilities; behavior as well as health; breeding; identification; as well as pre-transport requirements.

This code was originally drafted yesteryear the New Zealand Equine Health Association.

It sets out the committee’s assessment of the expectations of New Zealanders for the welfare of equines and
has been reviewed yesteryear representatives of interested as well as affected parties.

The commission has determined that the draft code meets the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act for release
for populace consultation as well as is at 1 time seeking populace feedback earlier finalising the code.

Comments were invited on whatever facial expression of the draft code, Hellström said.

Those making submissions should specify those aspects that they back upward or oppose, the reasoning behind comments, as well as whatever alternatives to the provisions of the draft code they wishing to recommend.

Hellström said the commission would peculiarly welcome comment on the following questions:

• Do you lot consider a code of welfare for equines to hold out necessary? Are in that location whatever alternatives which would accomplish the same outcome equally having a code of welfare? If as well as thence what are they?
• Do you lot concord that the minimum standards inwards this code are the minimum necessary to ensure that the physical, health, as well as behavioural needs of equines volition hold out met? For example, create the minimum standards reverberate practiced practise (not only electrical current practice), electrical current scientific cognition as well as available technology? If not, what alternatives do you suggest? Please dry ground your reasons.
• Do you lot concord the instance indicators given are appropriate to depict how to mensurate or assess the achievement of the intended outcome of the minimum standards? If not, what alternative(s) create you lot suggest? Please dry ground your reasons.
• Do you lot concord that the recommendations for best practise inwards this code are appropriate? If not, what alternatives create you lot suggest? Please dry ground reasons.
• Do you lot recall this code would alter existing arrangements for the administration of equines? If so, how, as well as to what extent?
• Will complying amongst this code involve costs for you lot or your business? For example, costs may include converting existing brute facilities or employing novel staff.
• What barriers create you lot consider to the implementation of the proposed code as well as how mightiness they hold out resolved?
• What benefits create you lot consider from having this code? Benefits may include, for example, increased certainty close brute welfare requirements or marketplace gains.
• What other impacts would this code accept on New Zealand society, the economy, or the environment?

Hellström said the commission would carefully consider all submissions received, as well as other matters that it is required to consider nether the Animal Welfare Act, earlier finalising the code as well as recommending it to the Primary Industries Minister for issue.

He said submissions were populace information as well as may hold out the discipline of requests nether the Official Information Act 1982.

The draft code tin hold out viewed here.

 

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