Increased sentences and fines for animal ill-treatment and neglect (New Zealand)
New Zealand Parliament has unanimously passed legislation that significantly raises penalties for cruelty to animals
The Animal Welfare Amendment Act will increase the maximum sentences and fines for animal ill-treatment and neglect, and redefine the way some offences are described.
The Act expands the threshold for the offence of wilful ill-treatment - the most serious animal welfare offence - and it adds a new offence of reckless ill-treatment.
The maximum sentence for wilful ill-treatment of an animal increases from three to five years and the maximum fine will double to $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a body corporate.
Penalties also increase for a range of other neglect and ill-treatment offences and the Act expands the law relating to forfeiture of animals and disqualification from having custody of animals.
See http://www.beehive.govt.nz/