Standards of Care for Livestock

The following general standards of care apply to the keeping of all livestock and poultry:

(a)Care in General. Animals shall be housed or kept and provided with food, water and care, in a manner which, having regard to their species and to their degree of development, adaptation and domestication is appropriate to their physiological and ethological needs in accordance with established experience and scientific knowledge.

(b)Specific Elements of Care. In addition to Subsection (a), the lighting, temperature, humidity, air circulation, ventilation and other environmental conditions, such as gas concentration or noise intensity, shall conform to the animals physiological and ethological needs in accordance with established experience and scientific knowledge.

(c)Provision of Food and Liquid. No animal shall be provided with food or liquid in a manner which may cause unnecessary suffering or injury.

(d)Freedom of Movement. The freedom of movement appropriate to an animal, having regard to its species and in accordance with established experience and scientific knowledge, shall not be restricted in such a manner as to cause it unnecessary suffering or injury.

(e)Transportation and Movement. No animal shall be moved or transported in a manner which may cause unnecessary suffering or injury.

(f)Protection from the Environment. Where an animal is continuously or regularly tethered or confined, it shall be COL5/19/2021 CH. 62 FARMS & EXTENSION SERVICES given protection from environmental hazards and space appropriate to its physiological and ethological needs in accordance with established experience and scientific knowledge.

(g)Capture of Wild, Feral and Stray Animals. No wild, feral or stray animal shall be captured in a manner which may cause unnecessary suffering or injury.

(h)Inspections. The condition and state of health of animals shall be thoroughly inspected by the Department of Agriculture at necessary intervals sufficient to avoid unnecessary suffering.

(i)Release of Pigs. It shall be considered unlawful to release a pig, whether a captured feral pig or a pig domesticated as a pet or livestock. Once in a person’s possession, pigs shall be either:

(1)killed and disposed of in accordance with guidelines to be developed by the Director of the Department of Agriculture;

(2)slaughtered, which shall mean killed for the purposes of obtaining the meat therefrom for human consumption; or

(3)domesticated and cared for in accordance with this Chapter and accompanying rules and regulations.