Position statements

SPCA advocates for the removal of Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) that prohibits or significantly limits the possession of dogs based solely upon their breed or type.

SPCA advocates for the replacement, reduction, or refinement of animals used in research,testing, and teaching (the principle of the “3 Rs”). While our organisation supports efforts to refine and reduce the use of animals in research and testing, SPCA is committed to and advocates for animals to be replaced in research, testing, and teaching by non-animal alternatives.

SPCA advocates for all children in primary and secondary education to receive specific comprehensive animal welfare education. Children taught from an early age to consider the welfare of animals are more likely to grow up with empathy and respect for all living beings, including other people.

SPCA only supports the keeping of animals for research, testing, and teaching in ways that protect the animals’ behavioural, health, and social needs.

SPCA advocates for the creation and use of educational resources that provide humane alternatives to animals for dissection.

SPCA advocates that all research, testing, and teaching protocols be subject to extensive ethical review, more stringent than that offered by the current ethical review process required under New Zealand legislation. This must include critical evaluation of the necessity and justification for animal use and implementation of the 3 Rs.

SPCA advocates for greater efforts to be made to minimise the negative impacts to animal welfare caused by research, testing, and teaching where non-animal alternatives are not yet available.

SPCA supports the inclusion of animal welfare science and ethics of animal use components in all higher education or vocational animal-related, farming, and biological science courses.

SPCA supports the use of genetic technologies to improve the welfare of animals.

SPCA supports continuous improvements in animal management practices so that they better meet the physical, health, and behavioural needs of animals used in research, testing, and teaching.