Mulesing: the law by country

Q: Is Mulesing legal in Austrália?

Obmedzené. Law: Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Sheep (endorsed January 2016), S7.1 to S7.5. Checked 4. 11. 2026.

Q: Is Mulesing legal in Kanada?

Zakázané. Law: NFACC Code of Practice: Sheep (2013), s.5.8 (industry code, not a statute). Checked 4. 11. 2026.

Q: Is Mulesing legal in Nový Zéland?

Zakázané. Law: Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations 2018, r 59. Checked 4. 11. 2026.

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

Zakázané: 3 places
Obmedzené: 5 places

Austrália

Whole country

ObmedzenéAll species

Samo o sebe nie je právom; rozhoduje každý štát. K aprílu 2026: povinné v QLD, SA, TAS; iba ako dôkaz v NSW a ACT; neprijaté v NT; VIC a WA to plánujú. Štandardy: nie mladšie ako 24 hodín ani staršie ako 12 mesiacov; tlmenie bolesti vo veku 6 až 12 mesiacov; skúsená osoba; žiadne choré ani slabé ovce; iba koža nesúca vlnu. Návrh zákona NSW z mája 2026 by vyžadoval tlmenie bolesti; nepodarilo sa nám potvrdiť, že bol prijatý. Nechirurgické metódy sú vylúčené.

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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. 11. 2026

Queensland

ObmedzenéAll species

Povinný kódex podľa národného normalizačného orgánu. Čítali sme vnútroštátny text, nie predpis: nie mladšie ako 24 hodín ani staršie ako 12 mesiacov; tlmenie bolesti vo veku 6 až 12 mesiacov; skúsená osoba; iba koža nesúca vlnu.

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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. 7. 2021Checked 4. 11. 2026

South Australia

ObmedzenéAll species

Nie mladšie ako 24 hodín ani staršie ako 12 mesiacov; iba koža nesúca vlnu; dobrá telesná kondícia; vo veku nad 6 mesiacov sa vyžaduje analgetikum alebo anestetikum. Animal Welfare Act 2025 (SA), ktorý k 2026-11-04 nebol účinný, tieto predpisy zruší, keď nadobudne účinnosť.

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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. 4. 2017Checked 4. 11. 2026

Tasmania

ObmedzenéAll species

Iba vo veku medzi 14 dňami a 6 mesiacmi; tlmenie bolesti u každej ovce; iba koža nesúca vlnu; skúsená alebo kontrolovaná osoba; žiadne ovce s vyčerpávajúcou chorobou, slabosťou alebo zlým prospievaním. Prísnejšie ako vnútroštátny štandard.

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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. 7. 2023Checked 4. 11. 2026

Victoria

ObmedzenéAll species

Ovca musí dostať prípravok proti bolesti registrovaný pre ovce 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. 7. 2020Checked 4. 11. 2026

Kanada

Whole country

ZakázanéAll species

National Farm Animal Care Council Code of Practice: odvetvový kódex, nie zákon. NFACC uvádza, že požiadavky Code vo väčšine provincií nie sú výslovne záväzné, ale môžu byť dôkazom utrpenia. V provinčnom práve sa naň odkazuje: prijatý v NL (NLR 36/12; NLR 35/12 s.15 robí z praktiky, ktorú kódex zakazuje, zakázanú praktiku), predpísaný v SK (Reg 1 s.3-4), uvedený ako obrana v NB (Reg 2000-4 s.4(2), Sch A) a BC (B.C. Reg. 34/2019, ako všeobecne akceptovaná prax), akceptovaný v NS (Act s.28(b)). Nesmie sa vykonávať; Code uvádza, že sa nikdy nepoužívalo v kanadskom chove oviec.

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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. 11. 2026

Newfoundland and Labrador

ZakázanéAll species

Praktika zakázaná v prijatom kódexe je zakázanou praktikou pre každého, kto je povinný tento kódex dodržiavať. Sheep Code uvádza, že mulesing sa nesmie vykonávať.

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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. 11. 2026

Nový Zéland

Whole country

ZakázanéAll species

Nikto nesmie akoukoľvek metódou odstrániť zadnú partiu, kožné riasy chvosta alebo kožné vrásky chvosta ovce. Pokuta až NZ$5,000 (právnická osoba 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. 10. 2018Checked 4. 11. 2026

What each status means

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

The law on other procedures

All procedures and the law