NZAP (New Zealand Animal Police) We MUST have a New System Who CAN Enforce the Law!

28th April, 2016: Submission to Parliament: Implementing a NZAP system (New Zealand Animal Police)   

For: Prime Minister Jacinda Adern and Comissioner of NZ Police: Mike Bush

Dear All,

Re: The Animal Welfare Code

It is time that New Zealand had a real Animal Police system in place. NZAP (New Zealand Animal Police) An idea whose time SHOULD have come long ago. In saying this, it is appreciated Mr Guy has the portfolio for Primaray Industries which in itself would be a demanding portfolio. Therefore the portfolio for Animal Welfare needs to be in the capable hands of a Member of Parliament who has the time and understanding of these serious issues.

If New Zealand had implemented this system, as in place overseas, much unimaginable suffering for all animals who share our country with us would have been avoided. As we now watch our current systems, and our only port of call in an emergency or otherwise, is Society for Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)  which is now so overwhelmed and under resourced that many branches can no longer help even the most vulnerable animals who are in urgent need of help.

The Animal Welfare  Code of Welfare 2010, has not been seriously or even adequately readdressed in 15 years – and it is currently being breached from one end of this country to the other - including  pounds (governed by their local body councils ) as well as vulnerable farmed (and factory farmed animals) continuously subjected to horrific and unfathomable on-going suffering. Even the very basic natural laws are not being upheld, pounds, shelters, factory farms and farms across this country are in breach of it.

We, the nation of New Zealand respectfully would like to propose an official government funded NZ Animal Police system be put in place, and with urgency. We request that this submission be taken very seriously. We propose that we would like the Government of New Zealand put into power by the people of New Zealand to seriously consider for the benefit of ALL animals (companion or farmed animals) in our country, that a pivotal change is implemented in the history of animal welfare in New Zealand. 

The general public in this country  have also officially lost faith in a system that’s SHOULD be there to protect vulnerable animals, and not only are they being turned away from SPCA organisations who cannot cope with the overwhelming number of sick and injured animals - they are losing faith in a system which is meant to be there to call upon whenever warrented. It is no secret across our nation, that the current system with SPCA as well as MPI is NOT working, although it is fully appreciated that this is not the fault of hardworking individuals within the organisations - but rather because struggling SPCA's are overwhelmed and under resourced, they are not wanting to turn sick, unwanted or injured animals away - but sadly are having to.

The public of New Zealand have also lost trust in the powers that be within the SPCA, as donations have rolled in over many generations - yet clearly the donations made are NOT going towards helping the animals in need - this is not the fault of independent branches and the hard working individuals within this system, but rather the decisions within the hierarchy of the SPCA, who now advise many struggling SPCA's across New Zealand will soon be closed down.

Today a puppy was being beaten to death - but the SPCA had closed its doors at 4.30pm, and NO ONE could help. Another call came in about dog being continuously beaten over the head in front of children - yet no one could help. How different would it have been for the animal in distress - if that person was able to call The New Zealand Animal Police on a 24/7 basis whenever needed?

Currently with both the SPCA and MPI as the ONLY places to seek help even in a dire emergency - Not only for companion animals, but farmed and factory farmed animals also suffering horrific ongoing cruelty. When the SPCA is your first port of call and they are unable to actually enforce the law, even when an animal is being seriously abused -including animals chained or contained 24/7 because this is still considered legal.

Consequently, Many New Zealand Dog Pounds serve as little more than concentration death camps, full of physically and psychologically distressed dogs. We, the undersigned ask that this current archaic law be seriously readdressed immediately in protection of thousands of extremely vulnerable companion animals whose lives and welfare currently hang in the balance under the current system, with particular attention to a major Breach of Minimum Standards dog Welfare act (Numbers 2, 4, 5 and 10)   Under minimum standard Number 4 of the animal welfare code: Containment:

 "The length of time that dogs are contained or tethered, and the way that it is done, can have a significant impact on their welfare. Prolonged containment or tethering can have a significant negative impact on the physical and mental health of dogs and the need for exercise (see Section 7.8 Exercise), as well as access to food, water and shelter while in containment all have to be considered. Long term confinement with minimal provision for exercise or social interaction can contribute to behaviorproblems."

New Zealand is screaming out for a REAL ANIMAL POLICING SYSTEM like the many other countries who have already implemented an official animal police system (and not as a charitable trust that are completely reliant on public donations) but rather funded by their governments/local body council)

"A Nations Moral Progress is judged by the treatment of its animals"   

 A PROPOSED SOLUTION: NZAP (New Zealand Animal Police)  

• To set up an official  NZ Animal Police system that can enforce the law - There is already a highly skilled network of committed individuals across this country ready to be recruited, including veterinarians and professionals at all levels of animal welfare - who would each undergo a carefully designed course to be recruited as a NZAP Officer  

• Uniformed NZAP officers in each city and region throughout the North and South Island, including emergency NZAP vehicles for urgent transport of animals.

• To have power of arrest in cases where there is clear evidence the animal is being abused, and the right to enter onto the private property, farm, or any residence where the reported animal is being abused.  

• Power to remove abused animals from residential areas, (including farmed and factory-farmed or caged animals) and transferred to an animal rescue until the situation can be dealt with.  

• Personal Residences for chained dogs  24/7 Chained Dogs: We ask that NZ government FINALLY put a law in place that allows NZAP the right to actually release a chained dog from their misery and place the dog in a safe rescue or shelter until owners can be liaised with or the animal can be re-homed. This barbaric psychological and physical torment has gone on too long and NZAP MUST  be given FULL authority to uplift and release dogs from owners who have constantly chained dogs, who are never freed from their misery when there is strong evidence that the dog remains chained 24/7          

• A system MUST be put in place for owners able to prove they walk the dog (or have it walked) adequately every week in order to continue owning it. There are many ways this could be effectively implemented, including a micro-chip that measures the distance they have travelled, to be implanted with reported chained dogs.

• NZAP to carry out random inspections of Pounds, Animal Shelters, Factory Farms and animal processing plants.

• Government to implement a law that all dogs must be speyed/neutered from the age of 3 months onwards. The only exceptions are registered kennels who are inspected to make sure their facilities are those of a breeding kennel and organisations like the Police Guide Dogs, etc. Registered kennels would pay a kennel registration fee that would be sufficient to cover the cost of annual/bi annual inspections.

This ruling would alleviate dogs ending up in the pound, being bred in unsatisfactory surrounds and for monetary gain only. This sytem has worked overseas and would bring the number of unwanted and cruelly treated animals significantly down. Whilst there will always be those that mistreat animals - the above ruling would make a great difference in the number of those animals put down, thus saving the financial aspect that is presently impacted on Council pounds and SPCA organisations.

  In closing, we ask that the government of New Zealand, help set the bar on the global stage of animal welfare in this country by giving this proposal serious consideration, and implementing an official government body of NZ Animal Police, a system that works, that can actually enforce the law and a system that can once again restore a countries faith that its most vulnerable animals - will be protected.

We also respectfully ask that you will meet with the current group looking at formulating the NZAP, to discuss our proposal no later than March 2017.

Sincerely, Carlie Mascelle and Carol Hull-Brown  (and following signatures as below)