The Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Exhibited Animals contain standards for the welfare of animals used for exhibition purposes. They apply to all those with responsibilities for the care and management of exhibited animals and set a minimum industry standard by defining acceptable management practices for animals used for exhibition purposes.
The Exhibited Animals S&G were endorsed by Agriculture Ministers in 2019.
As part of the process for developing the Exhibited Animals S&G, a Decision Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) was developed and endorsed by the Commonwealth Office of Best Practice Regulation. The Decision RIS assessed the proposed standards and incorporated public consultation feedback and changes agreed by the majority of the group responsible for guiding the development of the Exhibited Animals S&G.
Consultation on the draft Exhibited Animals S&G was open from March to June in 2014.
Views were sought from interested parties about how the draft welfare standards would help protect the welfare of Exhibited Animals. Also open for comment was the associated Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS), which aimed to demonstrate the need for the Exhibited Animals S&G, and identifies the key costs and benefits for protecting the welfare and security of exhibited animals, the government, and the wider community.
Stakeholders gave feedback before finalisation of the Exhibited Animals S&G.
The Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Exhibited Animals were endorsed by the Agriculture Ministers in 2019 and most state and territory governments are in the process of implementing or considering them.
The implementation dates (as of April 2026) for the Exhibited Animals S&G by state and territory are listed below:
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
| To date, the Exhibited Animals S&G have not been regulated in the ACT, and no decision has been made on the timing of their implementation. |
New South Wales (NSW)
| NSW intends to adopt the Exhibited Animals S&G into legislation subject to normal policy development processes. |
Northern Territory (NT)
| Adopted into the Animal Protection Regulations 2022 on 3 November 2025. |
Queensland (QLD)
| Queensland proposes to adopt the Exhibited Animals S&G as a compulsory code of practice under the Exhibited Animals Act 2015, subject to legislative processes and timeframes. In Queensland, exhibited animal authority applications are assessed against relevant standards. |
South Australia (SA)
| SA will consider the Exhibited Animals S&G as a component of normal policy development processes. |
Tasmania (TAS)
| The Tasmanian Animal Welfare Advisory Committee has considered the Exhibited Animals S&G and provided advice to the Minister on regulating the standards. These regulations will be developed in the next few years. |
Victoria (VIC)
| As of 1 October 2019, Victoria has applied a condition requiring compliance with the Exhibited Animals S&G (General and associated relevant taxon standards) to all pest animal approved (collection) zoo permits. These permits authorise the keeping of declared pest (exotic) species in privately owned zoos and wildlife parks. Victoria intends to adopt the Exhibited Animals S&G into legislation subject to normal policy development processes. In adopting the standards into regulation, Victoria will avoid duplication or lowering of existing animal welfare requirements. It is anticipated that national standards and guidelines agreed to by Victoria will be adopted through the new proposed Animal Care and Protection Act. This legislation is currently under development. |
Western Australia (WA)
| The Exhibited Animals S&G have not been implemented in Western Australia to date. No decision has been made regarding the timing for the implementation of these standards. |
The state and territory governments are responsible for the regulation of animal welfare in Australia. Each state and territory has an Animal Welfare Act outlining their animal welfare legislation.