Overview of animal welfare codes of practice

Codes of practice for the welfare of animals contain guidelines and information about the considerate and humane treatment of animals.

These codes of practice are compulsory or voluntary.

You need to understand your obligations under the codes—ignorance is no excuse for inappropriate treatment of animals.

The animal welfare codes are generally about keeping a particular type of animal or about particular situations involving animals. They outline minimum acceptable animal welfare outcomes.

This guide explains the animal welfare codes of practice, and includes links to codes for specific animals and situations.