Animal Welfare (Welfare of Horses in the ACT) Mandatory Code of Practice 2024
The Animal Welfare (Welfare of Horses in the ACT) Mandatory Code of Practice 2024 came into effect on 19 January 2024.
The Code sets the minimum standards that must be met for the welfare of horses including general husbandry and management practices. It also emphasises that persons in charge have a legal liability to care for horses under their control.
The Code applies to all horses, ponies, donkeys and mules that are kept in the ACT, including for the purposes of:
- work (such as carriage, delivery, stock, trail riding)
- competition (such as racing, events, jumping, shows, endurance riding, dressage and camp drafting)
- pleasure riding or driving, including riding schools
- breeding
- pets.
Under the Code, owners are responsible for the health and wellbeing of horses, including providing them with:
- ready access to food and water
- freedom of movement to stand, stretch, turn around, walk forward, lie down and roll
- regular exercise
- the ability to perform natural behaviours
- social contact with other horses or people
- accommodation that neither harms nor causes undue strain or discomfort
- protection from disease, and regular inspections to assess the need for attention to feet, teeth and parasite control
- rapid identification and treatment of injury and disease.
Animal Welfare (Management of Animals in Pounds, Shelters and Rescue Establishments) Mandatory Code of Practice 2023
The Animal Welfare (Management of Animals in Pounds, Shelters and Rescue Establishments) Mandatory Code of Practice came into effect on 17 November 2023.
The Code sets the standards that must be met to compile with the Animal Welfare Act 1992. People in charge of animals in a temporary housing facility must compile with the Animal Welfare Act 1992.
Under the Code, a temporary housing facility includes:
- animal welfare centres
- pounds
- rescue groups
- foster carers
- holding facilities used for the short-term housing of animals before transporting to an establishment.
It does not apply to the temporary housing of animals by their owners, boarding or training facilities and veterinary clinics housing animals for treatment.
The Code encourages all those responsible for the welfare of animals in a temporary housing facility:
- to adopt the highest standards of husbandry, care and handling
- to meet or exceed the minimum standards.
The Code is in place to ensure that rescue establishments take all reasonable action to:
- reunite animals with their owners
- place animals in safe and caring permanent homes when relocation occurs.
It aims to ensure all animals receive proper treatment, ensuring comfort, security, physical and mental well being are always maintained.
Animal Welfare (Private Keeping of Native Reptiles) Mandatory Code of Practice 2022
The Private Keeping of Native Reptiles Code of Practice came into effect on 1 February 2023. The Code provides minimum standards of care for keeping reptiles in captivity by private keepers. This will be the first Code for the welfare of privately kept native reptiles in the ACT.
This Code does not extend to exotic reptiles, or to any reptiles kept by zoos and reptile parks under special licences. Examples of reptiles covered by this Code include:
- turtles
- lizards
- snakes (note: venomous snakes are not permitted to be kept by private keepers).
Under the Code all reptile owners are responsible for the health and wellbeing of their reptiles including providing them with:
- ready access to suitable food and clean water
- freedom to move about freely, to express a range of natural behaviours, and to avoid cage-mates
- correct living environment, noting these may differ depending on the species
- appropriate handling for maintaining health and wellbeing
- alleviation of sickness or suffering
- responsible distribution of offspring bred in captivity.
Animal Welfare (Welfare of Native Wildlife – Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release) Mandatory Code of Practice 2022
The Welfare of Native Wildlife – Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release Code of Practice came into effect on 1 February 2023. The Code provides minimum standards of rescue, rehabilitation and release of native wildlife by appropriately trained carers.
This will be the first Code for the specialists in rescue, rehabilitation and release of native wildlife in the ACT.
This Code does not extend to any wildlife kept by zoos and wildlife parks under special licences nor feral animals such as cats or foxes. Examples of wildlife covered by this Code include, but are not limited to:
- wombats
- kangaroos and wallabies
- native birds
- possums.
Under the Code all carers are responsible for the health and wellbeing of wildlife including providing them with:
- ready access to suitable food and clean water
- freedom to move, to express a range of natural behaviours
- species appropriate living environment, noting these may differ depending on the species
- appropriate handling for maintaining health and wellbeing
- alleviation of sickness or suffering
- avoiding altering behaviour which would result in imprinting.
