South Australian Current Acts

ANIMAL WELFARE ACT 1985 - NOTES

Legislative history

Notes

• Amendments of this version that are uncommenced are not incorporated into the text.

• Please note—References in the legislation to other legislation or instruments or to titles of bodies or offices are not automatically updated as part of the program for the revision and publication of legislation and therefore may be obsolete.

• Earlier versions of this Act (historical versions) are listed at the end of the legislative history.

• For further information relating to the Act and subordinate legislation made under the Act see the Index of South Australian Statutes or www.legislation.sa.gov.au.

Formerly

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1985

Legislation repealed by principal Act

The Animal Welfare Act 1985 repealed the following:

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1936

Principal Act and amendments

New entries appear in bold.

Year	No	Title	Assent	Commencement
1985	106	Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1985	7.11.1985	1.8.1986 (Gazette 24.7.1986 p322)
1994	48	Meat Hygiene Act 1994	9.6.1994	1.12.1994 (Gazette 1.12.1994 p1868)
1999	85	Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 1999	2.12.1999	1.2.2000 (Gazette 27.1.2000 p502)
2004	20	Primary Produce (Food Safety Schemes) Act 2004	1.7.2004	Sch 1 (cl 2)—1.7.2006 (Gazette 8.6.2006 p1600)
2008	21	Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Animal Welfare) Amendment Act 2008	26.6.2008	4.10.2008 (Gazette 18.9.2008 p4503)
2009	84	Statutes Amendment (Public Sector Consequential Amendments) Act 2009	10.12.2009	Pt 15 (ss 29 & 30)—1.2.2010 (Gazette 28.1.2010 p320)
2011	36	Statutes Amendment (Directors' Liability) Act 2011	22.9.2011	Pt 4 (s 6)—1.1.2012 (Gazette 15.12.2011 p4988)
2013	16	Statutes Amendment (Directors' Liability) Act 2013	23.5.2013	Pt 4 (s 7)—17.6.2013 (Gazette 6.6.2013 p2498)
2015	8	Statutes Amendment (Boards and Committees—Abolition and Reform) Act 2015	18.6.2015	Pt 3 (ss 14—24)—1.7.2015 (Gazette 25.6.2015 p3076)
2015	21	Animal Welfare (Live Baiting) Amendment Act 2015	17.9.2015	15.10.2015 (Gazette 15.10.2015 p4609)
2017	51	Statutes Amendment (SACAT No 2) Act 2017	28.11.2017	Pt 5 (ss 15 to 19)—14.12.2017 (Gazette 12.12.2017 p4960)
2022	7	Animal Welfare (Jumps Racing) Amendment Act 2022	14.7.2022	14.7.2023: s 2
2023	44	Veterinary Services Act 2023	7.12.2023	Sch 1 (cll 5 to 8)—uncommenced

Provisions amended

New entries appear in bold.

Entries that relate to provisions that have been deleted appear in italics.

Provision	How varied	Commencement
Long title	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 21/2008 s 4	4.10.2008
Pt 1
s 1	amended by 21/2008 s 5	4.10.2008
s 2	deleted by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 3
animal ethics committee	inserted by 8/2015 s 14	1.7.2015
animal welfare notice	inserted by 21/2008 s 6(1)	4.10.2008
animal welfare order	inserted by 21/2008 s 6(1)	4.10.2008
the Chief Inspector	deleted by 85/1999 s 3(a)	1.2.2000
the Code	inserted by 85/1999 s 3(a)	1.2.2000
	amended by 21/2008 s 6(2)	4.10.2008
electrical device	inserted by 21/2008 s 6(3)	4.10.2008
electroimmobiliser	inserted by 21/2008 s 6(3)	4.10.2008
harm	inserted by 21/2008 s 6(3)	4.10.2008
inspector	(b) deleted by 85/1999 s 3(b)	1.2.2000
	amended by 21/2008 s 6(4)	4.10.2008
organised animal fight	inserted by 21/2008 s 6(5)	4.10.2008
pain	deleted by 21/2008 s 6(6)	4.10.2008
rodeo	inserted by 21/2008 s 6(7)	4.10.2008
rodeo event	inserted by 21/2008 s 6(7)	4.10.2008
serious harm	inserted by 21/2008 s 6(7)	4.10.2008
the Society	amended by 21/2008 s 6(8)	4.10.2008
Tribunal	inserted by 51/2017 s 15	14.12.2017
vehicle	substituted by 21/2008 s 6(9)	4.10.2008
veterinary surgeon	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 21/2008 s 6(10)	4.10.2008
s 4	deleted by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
Pt 2
s 6
s 6(1)	substituted by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 6(2)	substituted by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 21/2008 s 7(1), (2)	4.10.2008
	amended by 8/2015 s 15(1)—(3)	1.7.2015
s 6(3)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 8/2015 s 15(4)	1.7.2015
s 6(4)	substituted by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 8/2015 s 15(5)	1.7.2015
s 6(5)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 8/2015 s 15(6)	1.7.2015
s 7
s 7(1)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 8/2015 s 16	1.7.2015
s 7(2) and (3)	amended by 8/2015 s 16	1.7.2015
s 7(4)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 8	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 8/2015 s 17	1.7.2015
s 9
s 9(1)	substituted by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 9(2)	deleted by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 9(5)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 9(6)	substituted by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 9A	inserted by 84/2009 s 29	1.2.2010
s 11
s 11(1)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 11(2)	substituted by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 8/2015 s 18	1.7.2015
s 12	amended by 85/1999 s 4	1.2.2000
Pt 3 before substitution by 21/2008
s 13
s 13(1)	substituted by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 13(2)	amended by 85/1999 s 5	1.2.2000
s 13(2)	(j)—(l) deleted by 85/1999 s 5	1.2.2000
ss 14 and 15	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
Pt 3	substituted by 21/2008 s 8	4.10.2008
s 13
s 13(3)	(d), (e) deleted by 21/2015 s 4	15.10.2015
s 14	substituted by 21/2015 s 5	15.10.2015
s 14AA	inserted by 7/2022 s 3	14.7.2023
s 14A	inserted by 21/2015 s 5	15.10.2015
s 15A	s 33 amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	s 33 amended and redesignated as s 15A by 21/2008 s 13(1), (2)	4.10.2008
Pt 4
s 16
s 16(1)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 17
s 17(2)	amended by 85/1999 s 6	1.2.2000
s 18
s 18(1)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 18(2)	amended by 85/1999 ss 7, 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 19
s 19(1)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 19(2)	amended by 21/2008 s 9	4.10.2008
s 19(4)	inserted by 85/1999 s 8	1.2.2000
s 20
s 20(1), (3) and (4)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 23
s 23(1)	deleted by 8/2015 s 19(1)	1.7.2015
s 23(2)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 23(3)	amended by 85/1999 ss 9, 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 21/2008 s 10	4.10.2008
	amended by 8/2015 s 19(2)	1.7.2015
s 23(4)	amended by 8/2015 s 19(2)	1.7.2015
s 23(5)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 8/2015 s 19(2)	1.7.2015
s 23(6)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	substituted by 8/2015 s 19(3)	1.7.2015
s 23(7)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	deleted by 8/2015 s 19(3)	1.7.2015
s 23A	inserted by 8/2015 s 20	1.7.2015
s 24
s 24(1)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	substituted by 8/2015 s 21	1.7.2015
s 24(1a)	inserted by 8/2015 s 21	1.7.2015
s 24(4)	amended by 85/1999 ss 10, 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 25
s 25(1)	amended by 85/1999 s 11(a), (b)	1.2.2000
	amended by 8/2015 s 22	1.7.2015
s 25(1a)	inserted by 85/1999 s 11(c)	1.2.2000
s 25(2)	amended by 85/1999 s 11(d)	1.2.2000
s 25(3)	amended by 85/1999 ss 11(e), 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 25(4)	inserted by 85/1999 s 11(f)	1.2.2000
Part 4 Div 3
heading	substituted by 51/2017 s 16	14.12.2017
s 26 before substitution by 51/2017
s 26(1) and (3)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 26	substituted by 51/2017 s 17	14.12.2017
s 27
s 27(1), (4) and (5)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 27(1) and (2)	substituted by 51/2017 s 18(1)	14.12.2017
s 27(3)	deleted by 51/2017 s 18(1)	14.12.2017
s 27(5)	substituted by 51/2017 s 18(2)	14.12.2017
Pt 5
heading	substituted by 21/2008 s 11	4.10.2008
Pt 5 Div 1
heading	inserted by 21/2008 s 11	4.10.2008
s 28 before substitution by 21/2008
s 28(1)	substituted by 85/1999 s 12(a)	1.2.2000
s 28(2)	amended by 85/1999 ss 12(b), (c), 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 28(2a)	inserted by 85/1999 s 12(d)	1.2.2000
s 28(3)	amended by 85/1999 ss 12(e), 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 29 before substitution by 21/2008
s 29(1)	amended by 48/1994 Sch 2 cl 2	1.12.1994
	amended by 20/2004 Sch 1 cl 2	1.7.2006
s 29(2)	amended by 85/1999 ss 13(a), (b), 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 29(3) and (4)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 29(4a)	inserted by 85/1999 s 13(c)	1.2.2000
s 29(5)	amended by 85/1999 s 13(d)—(h)	1.2.2000
s 29(7), (8) and (10)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
ss 28 and 29	substituted by 21/2008 s 12	4.10.2008
s 30 before substitution by 21/2008
s 30(2) and (3)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 30A before deletion by 21/2008	inserted by 85/1999 s 14	1.2.2000
s 31 before substitution by 21/2008	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
Pt 5 Div 2	inserted by 21/2008 s 12	4.10.2008
Pt 5 Div 3	inserted by 21/2008 s 12	4.10.2008
s 32 before deletion by 84/2009
s 32(1) and (2)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 32	deleted by 84/2009 s 30	1.2.2010
s 32A
s 32A(1)	s 36(1) substituted by 85/1999 s 16	1.2.2000
	s 36(1) amended and redesignated as s 32A(1) by 21/2008 s 17(1)—(5), (8)	4.10.2008
s 32A(2)	s 36(2) amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	s 36(2) amended and redesignated as s 32A(2) by 21/2008 s 17(6), (8)	4.10.2008
s 32A(3)	inserted by 21/2008 s 17(7)	4.10.2008
Pt 6
s 33—see s 15A
s 33	inserted by 21/2008 s 14	4.10.2008
s 34
s 34(1)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 21/2008 s 15(1)	4.10.2008
s 34(2)	amended by 85/1999 s 15(a)	1.2.2000
s 34(3)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 34(4)	inserted by 85/1999 s 15(b)	1.2.2000
	amended by 21/2008 s 15(2)	4.10.2008
ss 34A and 34B	inserted by 21/2008 s 16	4.10.2008
s 36—see s 32A
s 38	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	substituted by 36/2011 s 6	1.1.2012
s 38(2)	amended by 16/2013 s 7(1)	17.6.2013
s 38(3)	(c) deleted by 16/2013 s 7(2)	17.6.2013
s 38(3a)	inserted by 16/2013 s 7(3)	17.6.2013
s 39
s 39(1) and (2)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 40 before substitution by 21/2008
s 40(1) and (2)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 40	substituted by 21/2008 s 18	4.10.2008
s 41	deleted by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
s 42	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	substituted by 21/2008 s 19	4.10.2008
s 42A	inserted by 85/1999 s 17	1.2.2000
ss 43A and 43B	inserted by 21/2008 s 20	4.10.2008
s 44
s 44(2)	amended by 85/1999 s 18 (Sch)	1.2.2000
	amended by 21/2008 s 21(1), (2)	4.10.2008
s 44(5)	inserted by 21/2008 s 21(3)	4.10.2008
s 44(6)—(8)	inserted by 8/2015 s 23	1.7.2015

Transitional etc provisions associated with Act or amendments

Statutes Amendment (Boards and Committees—Abolition and Reform) Act 2015

24—Transitional provisions

(1) In this section—

principal Act means the Animal Welfare Act 1985;

relevant date means the day on which section 19(1) of this Act comes into operation.

(2) Despite section 19(1) of this Act, an animal ethics committee established by the Minister under section 23 of the principal Act and in existence immediately before the relevant date continues as an animal ethics committee for the purposes of the principal Act until a date determined by the Minister (and the provisions of Part 4 Division 2 of the principal Act as in force immediately before the relevant date will continue to apply in relation to the committee).

Statutes Amendment (SACAT No 2) Act 2017

19—Transitional provisions

(1) A right of appeal under section 26 of the principal Act in existence (but not yet exercised) before the relevant day, will be exercised as if this Part had been in operation before the right arose, so that proceedings may be commenced before the Tribunal rather than the Minister.

(2) Nothing in this section affects any proceedings before the Minister commenced under section 26 of the principal Act before the relevant day.

(3) A right of appeal under section 27 of the principal Act in existence (but not yet exercised) before the relevant day, will be exercised as if this Part had been in operation before the right arose, so that proceedings may be commenced before the Tribunal rather than the Supreme Court.

(4) Nothing in this section affects any proceedings before the Supreme Court commenced under section 27 of the principal Act before the relevant day.

(5) In this section—

principal Act means the Animal Welfare Act 1985;

relevant day means the day on which this Part comes into operation;

Tribunal means the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal established under the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013.

Historical versions

Reprint No 1—1.12.1994
Reprint No 2—1.2.2000
1.7.2006
4.10.2008
1.2.2010
1.1.2012
17.6.2013
1.7.2015
15.10.2015
14.12.2017