Humane
HUMANE
Animal welfare is a priority
The commercial industry takes animal welfare very seriously.
Commercial harvesters in Australia have a duty of care to ensure kangaroos are taken in a manner that minimises pain, suffering and distress. Kangaroos are free-ranging animals that are not confined, herded, transported or treated in any other way that may cause stress prior to harvest. Allowing kangaroos to live in their natural habitat rather than confined on farms is better for the animals and better for the natural ecosystem.
Importantly, if kangaroo populations were allowed to spiral out of control, many more would die of starvation during times of drought.
Humane harvesting methods are scientifically proven
The commercial industry uses harvest methods that are scientifically proven to be the most humane for kangaroos. These procedures and standards are outlined in The National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes, which sets a high standard for the commercial industry. The Code was developed together with animal welfare experts including The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) as well as state governments and regulators, the kangaroo industry and farmers.
The methods for the euthanasia of joeys in instances where they are uninentionally orphaned are also based on scientic research into kangaroo behaviour and ecology, and are explained in detail in the Code.
Licensed harvesters are highly skilled
Commercial kangaroo harvesters must pass a proficiency test every five years to demonstrate their accuracy with a firearm and receive or maintain their licence. The test also covers the regulatory controls and compliance requirements, the animal welfare controls and the hygiene controls to which each harvester must adhere. Training is delivered by government accredited agencies and approved by the Australian TAFE (Tertiary and Further Education) agency in their state.
It is a condition of every kangaroo harvesters licence that they adhere to the strict guidelines laid out in the Code. Licences also determine which species, on which land and at which times they are permitted to harvest kangaroos.
We only support code-compliant harvesting
Only kangaroos that are harvested in accordance with the Code and properly tagged and recorded are accepted by KIAA meat and leather processors and meet the requirements for export. State governments carry out regular inspections in the field and on plant to ensure every kangaroo harvested for the commercial industry is done so humanely in line with Australian and international standards.
An independent assessment of veterinary services conducted by the World Organisation for Animal Health in 2015 awarded Australia the highest level of competency (Level 5) for animal welfare. Australia is one of only a few countries to have been awarded this level of competency.