As it stands, the people who write regulations for animals also profit from harming them.
Animal welfare is currently regulated by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) – the same Government body responsible for growing the agricultural sector. Animal welfare policy is driven by the Minister of Agriculture whose main priorities lie with increasing sector productivity. This is a clear conflict of interest. Under the current system, the legal rights of animals come second to financial gain.
We need a Commissioner for Animals to ensure that all practices and policies for the care of Aotearoa’s animals are developed without bias and are consistent with the Animal Welfare Act 1999.