Independent Office of Animal Protection

Animals in NSW are not being protected because the same government department is responsible both for animal welfare, and for animal exploitation (animal industries), and our animal cruelty laws are being enforced by under-resourced and unaccountable charities.

Our Plan

We need a new, independent, professional, government-funded body with animal welfare and protection as its focus and mission: an Independent Office of Animal Protection.

• $50m to establish an Independent Office of Animal Protection that would:  
  • operate independently from the agricultural industries that exploit millions of animals each year
  • take on the role of developing policies, procedures, standards and guidelines for the protection of animals in NSW. 
  • undertake policy analysis on the needs of all animals, including: farmed, native, introduced, companion, those used in entertainment and research and working/assistance animals
  • animal behaviour research and reviews of standards and guidelines and communicating findings on issues relevant to animal protection
  • monitor police enforcement (investigations and prosecutions) of animal protection laws, including receiving reports of serious incidents
  • conduct inquiries, and inform government of systemic reforms required in the animal protection system
  • inspect facilities where animals are kept for commercial and research purposes.