You will need to comply with these standards and guidelines if you trade companion animals as part of a business or for profit or reward. Companion animals are any animal normally traded through wholesale or retail, including:
- dogs
- cats
- rabbits, guinea pigs and rodents
- birds
- amphibians and reptiles.
The standards set the minimum animal welfare requirements that must be met under law when trading companion animals. The guidelines set recommended practices to achieve desirable animal welfare outcomes. They do not apply to fish, drafting animals, animals kept for food, and animals found or given away.
These standards and guidelines set out requirements relating to:
- food and water
- health and hygiene
- housing and transport
- breeding
- record keeping
- transfer of ownership.
