Role of a service provider
Homekill and recreational catch service providers provide slaughter and/or processing services for reward (such as payment) to:
- animal owners – for homekill
- hunters, fishers, or other harvesters – for recreational catch.
Find out more
A guide to homekill and recreational catch [PDF, 4.3 MB]
Homekill or recreational catch service providers – the basics [PDF, 462 KB]
Requirements for service providers
Homekill and recreational catch service providers must be familiar with:
- their legal obligations under Part 6 of the Animal Products Act 1999
- the offence provisions under Part 10 of the Animal Products Act.
Animal Products Act 1999 – NZ Legislation
The Act requires you to:
- list with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) as a service provider
- keep appropriate inventory records
- meet other requirements.
Listing with MPI as a service provider
All homekill and recreational catch service providers, including dual operator butchers, must be listed with MPI.
Complete this on-line form to apply to be listed as a homekill recreational catch service provider.
AP2 – Homekill and recreational catch service provider listing– online form
Once listed, your details are maintained on our public listing of all New Zealand homekill and recreational catch service providers.
List of homekill and recreational catch service providers
You're responsible for renewing your listing every year.
Exemption from listing
You don't need to be listed as a service provider if you only offer these services in relation to homekill or recreational catch:
- transport of homekill or recreational catch, or
- taxidermy, or
- heading, gutting, or filleting of fish on recreational charter vessels.
Find out more
Animal Product Regulations 2021 – NZ Legislation
Keeping records
You must keep records, and have a system to identify animal material and animal products.
Full requirements are in the animal products notice, and the memorandum has extra information.
Animal Products Notice: Homekill and Recreational Catch Service Provider Records [PDF, 186 KB]
Memorandum – Homekill and recreational catch records and other information [PDF, 62 KB]
Record-keeping format
You can choose to use the following forms to keep your records, or you can develop your own.
Record 1: Client details [DOC, 40 KB]
Record 2: Business details [DOC, 42 KB]
Record 3: Service record [DOC, 41 KB]
Appendix 2 in the Guide to homekill and recreational catch has some examples of record-keeping forms, and tips on how to complete them.
A guide to homekill and recreational catch [PDF, 4.3 MB]
Meeting other requirements
Other requirements that apply to service providers relate to:
- places where services may be provided
- homekill and recreational catch must not be sold or traded
- select and slaughter is prohibited.
Places where services may be provided
Homekill or recreational catch service providers may provide their services:
- at their own premises or property
- at the animal owner's or recreational hunter’s property
- at or near the place where the animal was hunted or harvested (for recreational catch).
Homekill and recreational catch must not be sold or traded
Homekill or recreational catch service providers:
- must not sell or trade any homekill or recreational catch product for human or animal consumption
- must return homekill or recreational catch product for human or animal consumption to the animal owner or recreational hunter it came from.
The penalties for breaking the rules banning trade in homekill and recreational catch are significant. The maximum fine is $75,000 for individuals, and $300,000 for corporations.
Note: The definition of "trade" in Section 4 of the Animal Products Act 1999 includes barter, supply as part of a service, public prize, and reward. See the Act for the full definition.
Animal Products Act 1999, Section 4 – NZ Legislation
Animal parts that may be sold or traded
Parts of the animal that are not for human or animal consumption may be sold or traded. This includes hides, skins, horns and antlers.
If you sell any of these, you must keep records of the:
- animal species
- dates of the transactions
- name of the purchaser.
Waste material such as fat, offal and bone should be responsibly disposed of. This may be sold, traded, or disposed of to a renderer.
Select and slaughter is prohibited
It's illegal for you to provide homekill slaughter or processing services for an animal owner who has not been involved in the day-to-day maintenance of the animal (or animals of the same kind) for at least 28 days before its slaughter. This is known as "select and slaughter".
Humane killing
Homekill and recreational catch service providers are covered by the Animal Welfare (Commercial Slaughter) Code of Welfare.
Code of Welfare: Commercial Slaughter
The Animal Products Act 1999 allows anyone to kill an animal in any location if this is necessary for humane reasons. For example, you may need to kill an animal at the roadside if it is badly injured as the result of an accident.
Dual operator butchers
If you process homekill or recreational catch at the same premises or place as a retail butchery, you're classified as a dual operator butcher.
Find out about the requirements for dual operator butchers
Who to contact
If you have questions about homekill or recreational catch, email info@mpi.govt.nz
