It contains the minimum requirements for hygiene in harvesting, transportation, processing, identification, packaging and storage, to ensure a safe and acceptable product. Provision is also made in this Standard for the use of fallen stock.

The scope of the Standard is determined by risks related to the hygienic production of pet meat. Such risks are associated with:

• animal safety
• human safety
• product substitution.

Animals for pet meat must be processed in accordance with this Standard and documented work instructions or an approved Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)-based program that consistently demonstrates equivalence with this Standard.

Standards Australia Limited is no longer involved in the endorsement and publication process for this Standard or other forthcoming primary industry standards. To reflect this change the Standard has been renamed Standard for the Hygienic Production of Pet Meat: PISC Technical Report 88 – Amended 2009 . It was previously published as Australian Standard for the Hygienic Production of Pet Meat AS 4841. Those involved in the pet meat production chain continue to be obliged to abide by this revised and republished Standard in accordance with its endorsement by PIMC.