Australian Capital Territory Numbered Acts

ANIMAL WELFARE (FACTORY FARMING) AMENDMENT ACT 2014 (NO. 3 OF 2014) - SECT 5

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9A     Keeping laying fowls for commercial egg production—appropriate accommodation

    (1)     A person commits an offence if—

        (a)     the person keeps laying fowls for commercial egg production; and

        (b)     the fowls are not kept in appropriate accommodation.

Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.

    (2)     An offence against this section is a strict liability offence.

    (3)     In this section:

"appropriate accommodation", for laying fowls kept by a person, means accommodation that is in accordance with, or an improvement on, the conditions mentioned in any of the following provisions of the Eggs (Labelling and Sale) Act 2001

, schedule 1 (Conditions under which hens are kept):

        (a)     item 2, column 3 (which is about the production of eggs in a barn on a single level);

        (b)     item 3, column 3 (which is about the production of eggs in a barn that has additional levels of nesting and perching space);

        (c)     item 4, column 3 (which is about the production of eggs in a free-range system).

"commercial egg production" does not include egg production by a person the main purpose of which is the production of eggs for the person's own consumption.

"laying fowl" means a female domesticated chicken ( Gallus gallus ) that is 16 weeks old or older.