Animal Welfare & Management Strategy 2017-2022.

The Animal Welfare & Management Strategy 2017-2022 builds on the existing legislation, codes of practice, guidelines and management plans that regulate animal welfare and management practice. Animal welfare under the Strategy encompasses all aspects of animal health and wellbeing (physicals, mental and aspects of naturalness) and all people have a responsibility to take reasonable measures to protect the welfare of animals in all human-animal interactions.
The Strategy's vision is that the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) becomes an Australian leader in animal welfare and management practice. This means animals in the ACT are effectively managed and appropriately cared for in a manner consistent with the expectations of the ACT community and guided by best practice. This vision will be achieved through five objectives: 1) The ACT has contemporary animal welfare and management laws; 2) There are ongoing and measurable improvements in animal welfare and management practice in the ACT, as assessed against best practice standards and community expectations; 3) Community safety and urban environmental amenity is maintained to a high standard; 4) Where animals are managed for social, economic and environmental purposes, this happens in accordance with best practice; and 5) Compliance and enforcement of animal welfare and management issues is efficient and effective.