Animals covered by the Animal Care and Protection Act

The Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (Queensland) covers all living vertebrate animals. It includes mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, as well as cephalopod invertebrates (octopus, squid, cuttlefish and nautilus). The Act covers all types of animals because all animals must be treated humanely - an animal's capacity to suffer is not related to its usefulness or attractiveness.

The Act also applies to:

  • pre-hatched or pre-natal mammals
  • birds and reptiles in the last half of gestation, such as mammal or reptile foetuses
  • pre-hatched avian, mammal or reptile young
  • live marsupial young.

The eggs, spat or spawn of fish are not animals.

Circumstances where the Act applies

The Act covers animals used for:

  • the production of food and fibre (e.g. livestock)
  • sport and recreation
  • entertainment or exhibition (e.g. zoo animals)
  • scientific purposes (e.g. laboratory animals)
  • work
  • education
  • companionship (e.g. domestic pets).

It also applies to feral and pest animals, as well as wildlife.

Also consider...