Animal Welfare Act 2002

Subject to sections 38, 39, 42 and 43, for the purposes of this Act an inspector may —

search a place or vehicle; and

examine and take samples from an animal, place, vehicle or thing; and

take an animal to a place, or put an animal in a vehicle, for the purpose of performing the inspector’s functions in relation to it; and

direct a person to take an animal to a specified place, or to put it in a specified vehicle, within a specified time; and

direct a person not to remove an animal from a specified place or vehicle for a specified period; and

take photographs, video recordings or other recordings of an animal, place, vehicle or thing; and

take measurements or recordings of any sort; and

if the inspector reasonably suspects that there is, in a container, an animal or thing that may afford evidence of the commission of an offence under this Act —

require the person apparently in charge of it to open the container; or

if that person is not available to do so, or fails to do so, use reasonable force to break open the container;

examine, take extracts from or copy (and if necessary remove for the purpose of taking extracts or making copies) a record; and

give any directions to a person in control of an animal that the inspector considers are necessary to protect the welfare, safety and health of the animal; and

conduct examinations, and make inquiries, that the inspector considers are necessary to check whether this Act is being complied with or to investigate a suspected offence; and

request a person to assist the inspector in performing the inspector’s functions.

An inspector exercising, or proposing to exercise, a power under this section must, if asked by a person who is or will be affected by the exercise of the power, explain why the inspector is exercising the power.

A person must comply with a requirement or direction made under subsection (1)(a) to (j).

In subsection (1)(i) —