National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, 2007

This report provides a discussion of the key indicators for assessing animal welfare in New Zealand and the development of Codes of Welfare during 2007, with emphasis on issues relating to farmed animals and wildlife.

In 2007, the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee’s (NAWAC) continued to focus on developing its “codes of welfare.” The specific code of welfare for commercial slaughter (a 6 year project) was completed and the committee has recommended that the New Zealand Minister of Agriculture issue the code.

NAWAC also recommended that leg-holds traps be banned, and regulation became effective on January 1, 2008. These traps may not be used within 150 meters of a dwelling or where there is risk of catching a pet animal. In addition, the sale of leg-hold traps exceeding a certain size are prohibited, with the exception of commercially made padded-jaw, double-coil traps.