Crimes Act 1961

298A Causing disease or sickness in animals

• (1) Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years who, without lawful justification or reasonable excuse, directly or indirectly causes or produces in an animal a disease or sickness that causes a situation of a kind described in subsection (2) to occur, either—

  • (a) intending a situation of that kind to occur; or

  • (b) being reckless as to whether a situation of that kind occurs.

  (2) A situation of a kind referred to in subsection (1) is a situation that—

  • (a) constitutes a serious risk to the health or safety of an animal population; and

  • (b) is likely, directly or indirectly, to cause major damage to the national economy of New Zealand.

  Section 298A: inserted, on 17 November 2003, by section 5 of the Crimes Amendment Act (No 2) 2003 (2003 No 105).