Pigs continue to suffer routine mutilations, including tail docking, teeth clipping, ear notching and castration without mandatory pain relief or analgesic. These procedures, often performed on piglets, cause acute pain and chronic suffering. While other jurisdictions have moved to mandate pain relief or phase out these practices entirely, current NSW standards continue to prioritise production efficiency over the welfare of these intelligent, sensitive animals.

The draft Regulation continues to permit painful surgical procedures like debarking dogs and declawing cats despite widespread opposition and bans in many other jurisdictions. These unnecessary procedures cause significant welfare impacts including chronic pain, behavioural changes, and impaired communication. While veterinary organisations oppose both practices, unless medically necessary, they remain legal for human convenience.

Millions of hens in NSW remain confined in battery cages that deny them the ability to perform natural behaviours. While the draft Regulation implements some changes from the Standards and Guidelines, these changes fall well short of modern welfare science and community expectations. These intelligent, social birds continue to suffer in cramped conditions that prioritise production efficiency over their basic welfare needs.

The draft Regulation maintains deeply problematic practices in animal trades, with inadequate regulation of breeding facilities, pet shops and online sales. Despite the pet industry's significant value, with NSW pet sales through retail and online channels estimated at $56 million in 2023, the draft Regulation fails to implement adequate and enforceable welfare standards or oversight mechanisms to protect animals from exploitation and ensure their basic needs are met.

Water deprivation remains a critical welfare issue for intensively farmed ducks across NSW. Despite being aquatic animals with strong biological needs for swimming and bathing, commercial facilities continue to deny them access to open water. This deprivation prevents natural behaviours like preening, thermoregulation, and maintaining eye and nostril health. Current standards continue to prioritise industrial efficiency over the fundamental welfare needs of these birds.

Across NSW, rodeo events continue to subject animals to unnecessary stress, fear, injury, and death purely for human entertainment. While organisers claim to implement safety measures, practices like rope-and-tie, steer wrestling and bull riding, deliberately exploit animals' flight responses and causes significant physical and psychological pain and distress. Government support for these events demonstrates entrenched apathy where economic interests continue to override basic animal welfare considerations. Legislative exemptions allow animal cruelty that in any other circumstances would be prosecuted.

The draft Regulation continues to permit tail docking of cattle under 6 months without adequate pain relief. This painful procedure causes significant distress and can impair cattle's ability to communicate naturally and protect themselves from flies. Many other jurisdictions have banned this practice unless medically necessary, recognising it as an unnecessary mutilation that prioritises management convenience over animal welfare.