Section 298A — Crimes Act 1961: Causing disease or sickness in animals

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. Sections 298A and 298B were inserted, as from 17 November 2003, by section 5 Crimes Amendment Act (No 2) 2003 (2003 No 105). See clause 3 Crimes Amendment Act (No 2) 2003 Commencement Order 2003 (SR 2003/316).