Animal Welfare Policy

Summary

The Green Party will align regulation with animals’ rights to good nutrition, environment, health, behaviour, and mental state, and provide strong oversight and accountability. We will minimise the systemic exploitation of animals and require an ethical and humane approach to managing animals. We will carefully balance the needs of indigenous species and introduced animals, and uphold the Kaitiaki role and whakapapa connections of Māori to animals.

OUR VISION

All animals are respected and their rights are upheld.

Values and Principles

Decisions relating to animal welfare should uphold the following values and principles: 

Aroha:

All living things possess an inherent dignity and mauri. Animals are due respect, love, and rights. Humans have a duty of care towards the animals they interact with. They should not be violated or exploited, and their distress and pain should be minimised.

Whanaungatanga:

All living things are interconnected. We should live in reciprocal relationships with animals. The deep, ancestral connection Māori have with the land and its inhabitants must be respected.

Tikanga:

Societal systems, cultural practices, and traditional knowledge shape and are shaped by our relationship with animals. Engagement with companion animals is a privilege, not a right.

Kaitiakitanga:

Humans must interact with other animals in ways that support resilience and ecosystem health. Indigenous species and ecosystems are essential for maintaining supporting ecological balance so [they] must be paramount, with their interests prioritised over invasive species.

Mōhiotanga: 

Humans have an ethical obligation to make informed decisions on behalf of animals, drawing on the best available knowledge of their needs and behaviours. Tikanga and mātauranga Māori must be upheld alongside the evolutionary history and ecology of animals.

Strategic Priorities

The Green Party’s strategic goals include:  “Our laws and practices will respect the biological integrity of all life, while prioritising the health of indigenous species and ecosystems.” Actions in this policy that work towards this goal include:

• Establish a Department of Animal Welfare, led by a Minister for Animal Welfare, with responsibility for legislation, enforcement, hosting the NAWAC and NAEAC, and advocating for the welfare of all animals. (1.5)
• Require people who breed companion animals for sale, and rescue centres, to register and hold a current license. (2.1)

• Develop local regulations around pet ownership to cater for the indigenous species residing in that locale, such as requiring catios to keep cats safe and protect local biodiversity. (5.1)
• Introduce national standards for desexing dogs and for registering, desexing, and microchipping cats. (5.3)

Full Policy Link

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Connected Policies

Other policies contribute to our vision for animal welfare. 

• Agriculture Policy: The agricultural sector consistently uses an ethical and humane approach to managing animals. Our approach is world-leading, and animals enjoy a good life, with their death managed as humanely as possible. The need for prosecution is rare. 
• Trade and Foreign Investment Policy: Live animal imports and exports are rare, have strong protections, and only occur where there is benefit to the animal or their species.
• Research, Science and Technology Policy: Animal testing only occurs rarely, transparently, and has tangible benefits to people or animals.

• Recreation and Sport Policy: Recreational activities that cause unnecessary distress or pain to animals or normalise cruelty are prohibited.
• Biodiversity and Environmental Regeneration Policy: Invasive species are managed using humane and effective methods, so that indigenous species can flourish.
• Marine Policy: Fisheries and aquaculture are sustainably managed.