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Animal welfare

Animal health and diseases

Animal welfare is becoming increasingly important in terms of the potential impact on markets, farming practices and livestock health and productivity.

What can livestock producers do?

  • Become informed and involved in code consultation.
  • Obtain, read and comply with welfare codes of practice relevant to your enterprise.
  • Look for ways to improve welfare on your property. In many cases, this will improve productivity also.
  • Improvements can be made in stock handling, stock feeding (eg drought management), animal health programs, ewe/lamb management, husbandry procedures and humane destruction.

Animal welfare standards are underpinned by the Western Australian Animal Welfare Act 2002, its Regulations 2003 and Welfare Codes of Practice. The Animal Welfare Act 2002 is overseen by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development. The RSPCA is the main body responsible for the enforcement of legislation; however, some Department of Agriculture and Food and Food staff have been designated to act as Inspectors under the Act.

Latest update

A handy guide has been developed in consultation with industry (Livestock Transporters Association, PGA, WAFF, WA Meat Industry Authority and Elders), RSPCA, the Department of Local Government and Regional Development and the Department of Agriculture and Food and Food.

"Is it fit to load?" is a spiral bound pocket size booklet that contains colour photos of examples of conditions that would render an animal unfit for transport. Free copies can be obtained from district offices of the Department or you can print your own by clicking on the above title.

Role of Department of Agriculture and Food in Animal Welfare

The Department of Agriculture and Food has responsibilities for animal welfare in a number of main areas:

  • Promoting good livestock management and welfare practices to the livestock industries.
  • Providing extension material on livestock management and welfare to Departmental staff, livestock owners and other industry stakeholders.
  • Providing assistance and advice in the case of animal welfare emergencies such as fire and flood.
  • Providing advice to owners in cases where livestock welfare issues are brought to the attention of staff.
  • Ensuring that trials carried out by DAWA or on DAWA facilities comply with the welfare requirements of the Department's Animal Ethics Committee.
  • Assisting with the development of Codes of Practice for livestock species.
  • Providing policy advice to Executive, the Minister and to other bodies as appropriate and contributing to the development of national policies.
  • Providing membership to state, national and international committees or working groups dealing with livestock welfare matters.
  • Reporting cases of livestock welfare concern to the RSPCA and assisting the RSPCA and local government inspectors in specific cases.
  • Providing veterinary advice to the RSPCA in livestock welfare cases.

Legislative responsibility for animal welfare in Western Australia rests with the Department of Local Government and Regional Development. Department of Agriculture and Food officers frequently provide specialist advice to other government departments as well as to industry and the general public.

For investigations of alleged cruelty in animals, the lead group is the RSPCA.

The Animal Welfare Act provides General Inspectors of the RSPCA, Department of Agriculture and Food and some other State and Local Government organisations with certain rights and responsibilities to investigate cases of alleged cruelty or neglect. The Department of Agriculture and Food's role is to assist the RSPCA if requested and to provide expert advice in the area of production agriculture animals.

Animal Ethics Committee (AEC)

It is departmental policy, that any proposed trial work involving animals and departmental resources must be approved by the Animal Ethics Committee (AEC). The Department of Agriculture and Food has given commitments to the National Health and Medical Research Council and to other bodies that fund research involving animals, that any proposal involving the use of animals will be considered by the AEC.

The AEC considers all of the animal welfare issues involved in the proposal and may require changes if appropriate. The committee meets six times annually to consider proposals.

For advice about the AEC contact:

Michael Paton on Phone : (08) 9368 3627 or email: mpaton@agric.wa.gov.au

Animal Ethics Committee : Terms of Reference and Mode of Operation [73 kb PDF file]

Codes of practice

The codes of practice outline the minimum welfare requirements for the care and management of animals. The Courts may use the Codes as a yardstick to assess husbandry and management practices in cases of alleged cruelty. In the Animal Welfare Act (2002) these codes are included as a defence. That is, if a defendant can prove they were compliant with the relevant code then this would be a defence against a charge of cruelty under the act.

The Codes have been prepared by the Animal Welfare Working Group (AWWG) and have been endorsed by the Primary Industry Ministerial Council. Extensive consultation has taken place with industry and other interested groups in the development of the Codes, and they have been supported by groups such as WAFF, PGA, the Livestock Transporters Association and the Poultry Farmers Association of WA.

Other Codes are under development and they will be placed on this web site AgWeb as they are endorsed and become available.

For advice about the codes contact:

Michael Paton on Phone: (08) 9368 3627 email: mpaton@agric.wa.gov.au

All codes of practice are available from - Department of Local and Regional Government

The following codes of practice are available

  • Buffalo - Code Of Practice For Farmed Buffalo In Western Australia
  • Camels - Code Of Practice For Camels In Western Australia
  • Cattle - Code Of Practice For Cattle In Western Australia
  • Deer - Code Of Practice For Farming Deer In Western Australia
  • Emus - Code Of Practice For Keeping Emus In Western Australia
  • Feral Animals - Code Of Practice For The Capture And Marketing Of Feral Animals In Western Australia
  • Goats - Code Of Practice For Goats In Western Australia
  • Pigs - Code Of Practice For Pigs In Western Australia
  • Poultry - Code Of Practice For Poultry In Western Australia
  • Rabbits - Code Of Practice For Keeping Rabbits In Western Australia
  • Saleyards - Code Of Practice For Animals At Saleyards In Western Australia
  • Sheep - Code Of Practice For Sheep In Western Australia

Transport of animals

  • Cattle Transportation - Code Of Practice For The Transportation Of Cattle In Western Australia
  • Horse Transportation- Code Of Practice For The Transportation Of Horses In Western Australia
  • Pig Transportation - Code Of Practice For The Transportation Of Pigs In Western Australia
  • Poultry Transportation - Code Of Practice For The Transportation Of Poultry In Western Australia
  • Sheep Transportation - Code Of Practice For The Transportation Of Sheep In Western Australia

Page updated: 12 July 2007