Australian Capital Territory Current Acts

ANIMAL WELFARE ACT 1992 - SECT 19

    (1)     A person who is not a veterinary practitioner commits an offence if the person carries out a medical or surgical procedure on an animal.

Maximum penalty: 100 penalty units, imprisonment for 1 year or both.

    (2)     This section does not apply to—

        (a)     a medical procedure of a prophylactic nature carried out on the animal in accordance with directions given by a veterinary practitioner; or

        (b)     a medical or surgical procedure carried out in accordance with accepted animal husbandry practice in relation to—

              (i)     farming and grazing activities; or

              (ii)     the management of a zoo; or

              (iii)     the management of native animals; or

        (c)     a medical or surgical procedure carried out in accordance with a licence or authorisation, subject to any written direction of an animal ethics committee; or

        (d)     the removal of a dog's dewclaws not later than 4 days after the day the dog was born.

    (3)     In this section:

"accepted animal husbandry practice" does not include a practice prescribed by regulation for this section.