Queensland Introduces New Animal Welfare Laws

Amendments follow a review of the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001

The Queensland Government committed to reviewing the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 in 2020. Its aim was to align the contents of the Act with modern scientific knowledge, the latest developments in animal welfare, and the expectations of the people of Queensland.

The consultation process began in 2021 and involved a variety of stakeholders. The result of this consultation was the Animal Care and Protection Amendment Act 2022 (the ACP Amendment Act) which the Queensland Parliament passed on 2 December 2022 before it became law on 14 December.

The changes mean that offenders can face up to three years of imprisonment if they fail to meet their duty of care and, as a result, cause an animal to die, become disabled, or experience long-term suffering. The updated Act also bans the prolonged use of collars and allows welfare officers to become involved if an animal is in distress.

These are just a few of the changes that are the result of the first review of the Act in 20 years. The full list of changes is extensive.

Key amendments included in the updated Act

The major amendments included in the updated Act are:

• A new breach of care offence where death, serious deformity or disablement, or prolonged suffering are caused.
• Ensuring that animal welfare is not compromised during the ethical use of animals in science.
• An extension of the use of inspectors’ powers, including greater levels of enforcement and the ability to visit a livestock processing facility during the processing of a horse.
• The compulsory securing of a dog in a trailer or on the tray of a vehicle (unless the dog is assisting with the movement of livestock). A dog’s body (except its head) must also not protrude from a vehicle’s window.
• The banning of firing or blistering practices involving dogs or horses and the use of dog prong collars.
• The ability to prosecute anyone who uses CSSP Pig Poison.
• A new framework to cover cattle procedures accreditation schemes such as those for lay pregnancy testing.
• The implementation of some recommendations from the Martin Inquiry, which considered the treatment of racehorses.
• An introduction of some Queensland Audit Office recommendations concerning hiring and training inspectors and animal welfare investigation governance.

 

 

The changes to the Act reflect the love that the people of Queensland have for animals. They want those animals to be protected, and the updated Animal Care and Protection Act helps to make this happen.