Mulesing (pemotongan kulit punggung): the law by country

Q: Is Mulesing (pemotongan kulit punggung) legal in Australia?

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

Q: Is Mulesing (pemotongan kulit punggung) legal in Kanada?

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

Q: Is Mulesing (pemotongan kulit punggung) legal in New Zealand?

Dilarang. Law: Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations 2018, r 59. Checked 4 Nov 2026.

Where it is banned, allowed only under conditions or permitted. Each rule names its law and links to the source.

Dilarang: 3 places
Terhad: 5 places

Australia

Whole country

TerhadAll species

Bukan undang-undang dengan sendirinya; setiap negeri menentukan. Setakat April 2026: wajib di QLD, SA, TAS; hanya sebagai keterangan di NSW dan ACT; tidak diterima pakai di NT; VIC dan WA merancang berbuat demikian. Standard: tidak di bawah 24 jam atau lebih 12 bulan; pelega sakit pada umur 6 hingga 12 bulan; pengendali yang mahir; tiada biri-biri yang sakit atau lemah; hanya kulit yang menghasilkan bulu biri-biri. Rang Undang-Undang NSW Mei 2026 akan mewajibkan pelega sakit; kami tidak dapat mengesahkan sama ada ia diluluskan. Kaedah bukan pembedahan dikecualikan.

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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

Queensland

TerhadAll species

Kod wajib menurut badan piawaian kebangsaan. Kami membaca teks kebangsaan, bukan peraturannya: tidak di bawah 24 jam atau lebih 12 bulan; pelega sakit pada umur 6 hingga 12 bulan; pengendali yang mahir; hanya kulit yang menghasilkan bulu biri-biri.

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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 Jul 2021Checked 4 Nov 2026

South Australia

TerhadAll species

Tidak di bawah 24 jam atau lebih 12 bulan; hanya kulit yang menghasilkan bulu biri-biri; keadaan badan yang baik; lebih umur 6 bulan memerlukan analgesik atau ubat bius. Animal Welfare Act 2025 (SA), yang belum berkuat kuasa pada 2026-11-04, akan memansuhkan peraturan ini apabila ia bermula.

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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

Tasmania

TerhadAll species

Hanya pada umur antara 14 hari dan 6 bulan; pelega sakit bagi setiap biri-biri; hanya kulit yang menghasilkan bulu biri-biri; pengendali yang mahir atau diselia; tiada biri-biri yang menunjukkan penyakit yang melemahkan, kelemahan atau tumbesaran lemah. Lebih ketat daripada standard kebangsaan.

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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 Jul 2023Checked 4 Nov 2026

Victoria

TerhadAll species

Biri-biri mesti diberi produk pelega sakit yang didaftarkan untuk biri-biri oleh Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority.

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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 Jul 2020Checked 4 Nov 2026

Kanada

Whole country

DilarangAll species

National Farm Animal Care Council Code of Practice: kod industri, bukan statut. NFACC menyatakan keperluan Code tidak mengikat secara jelas di kebanyakan wilayah tetapi boleh menjadi keterangan tentang kesusahan. Dirujuk dalam undang-undang wilayah: diterima pakai di NL (NLR 36/12; NLR 35/12 s.15 menjadikan amalan yang dilarang oleh sesuatu kod sebagai amalan terlarang), ditetapkan di SK (Reg 1 s.3-4), disebut sebagai pembelaan di NB (Reg 2000-4 s.4(2), Sch A) dan BC (B.C. Reg. 34/2019, sebagai amalan yang diterima umum), diterima di NS (Act s.28(b)). Tidak boleh dilakukan; Code menyatakan ia tidak pernah digunakan dalam pengeluaran biri-biri di Kanada.

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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

Newfoundland and Labrador

DilarangAll species

Amalan yang dilarang dalam kod yang diterima pakai ialah amalan terlarang bagi sesiapa yang dikehendaki mematuhi kod itu. Sheep Code menyatakan mulesing tidak boleh dilakukan.

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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

New Zealand

Whole country

DilarangAll species

Tiada sesiapa boleh, dengan apa-apa kaedah, membuang breech, lipatan kulit ekor atau kedutan kulit ekor biri-biri. Denda sehingga NZ$5,000 (badan korporat NZ$25,000).

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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 Okt 2018Checked 4 Nov 2026

What each status means

Dilarang: Prohibited outright.
Terhad: Allowed with conditions other than a vet: an age limit, a method, a licence.

The law on other procedures

All procedures and the law