Mulesing: the law by country

Not law by itself; each state decides. As of April 2026: mandatory in QLD, SA, TAS; evidence only in NSW and ACT; not adopted in NT; VIC and WA plan to. Standards: not under 24 hours or over 12 months old; pain relief at 6 to 12 months; skilled operator; no sick or weak sheep; only wool-bearing skin. A NSW Bill of May 2026 would require pain relief; we could not confirm it passed. Non-surgical methods are excluded.

Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Sheep (endorsed January 2016), S7.1 to S7.5Checked 4 Nov 2026

Mandatory code per the national standards body. We read the national text, not the regulation: not under 24 hours or over 12 months old; pain relief at 6 to 12 months; skilled operator; only wool-bearing skin.

Animal Care and Protection Regulation 2012 (Qld), national Sheep Standards as a code of practiceIn force since 1 July 2021Checked 4 Nov 2026

Not under 24 hours or over 12 months old; only wool-bearing skin; good body condition; over 6 months old needs an analgesic or anaesthetic. The Animal Welfare Act 2025 (SA), not in operation on 2026-11-04, will repeal these regulations when it starts.

Animal Welfare Regulations 2012 (SA), r 79In force since 15 Apr 2017Checked 4 Nov 2026

Only between 14 days and 6 months old; pain relief for every sheep; only wool-bearing skin; skilled or supervised operator; no sheep showing debilitating disease, weakness or ill-thrift. Stricter than the national standard.

Animal Welfare (Sheep) Regulations 2023 (Tas), r 19In force since 12 July 2023Checked 4 Nov 2026

The sheep must be given a pain-relief product registered for sheep by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority.

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulations 2019 (Vic), r 8In force since 1 July 2020Checked 4 Nov 2026

National Farm Animal Care Council Code of Practice: an industry code, not a statute. NFACC says Code requirements are not explicitly binding in most provinces but can be evidence of distress. Referred to in provincial law: adopted in NL (NLR 36/12; NLR 35/12 s.15 makes a practice a code prohibits a prohibited one), prescribed in SK (Reg 1 s.3-4), named as a defence in NB (Reg 2000-4 s.4(2), Sch A) and BC (B.C. Reg. 34/2019, as generally accepted practice), accepted in NS (Act s.28(b)). Must not be performed; the Code says it has never been used in Canadian sheep production.

NFACC Code of Practice: Sheep (2013), s.5.8 (industry code, not a statute)Checked 4 Nov 2026

A practice prohibited in an adopted code is a prohibited practice for anyone required to comply with that code. The Sheep Code says mulesing must not be performed.

Animal Protection Regulations, NLR 35/12, s.15; NLR 36/12 (adopts NFACC Sheep Code, s.5.8)Checked 4 Nov 2026

Nobody may, by any method, remove the breech, tail skin folds or tail skin wrinkles of a sheep. Fine up to NZ$5,000 (body corporate NZ$25,000).

Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations 2018, r 59In force since 1 Oct 2018Checked 4 Nov 2026