The Animal Welfare Act 2006 (c 45) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
It is the first signing of pet law since the Protection of Animals Act 1911, which it largely replaced. It also superseded and consolidated more than 20 other pieces of legislation, such as the Protection of Animals Act 1934 and the Abandonment of Animals Act 1960. The Act introduced the new welfare offence. This means that animal owners have a positive duty of care, and outlaws neglecting to provide for their animals' basic needs, such as access to adequate nutrition and veterinary care. It outlaws tail docking of dogs for cosmetic reasons, with an exemption for "working" dogs, like those used by the police, the armed forces or as service dogs.
The corresponding Act for Scotland is the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.
The Act is divided into several topics.
Section 1 defines an "animal" as a vertebrate (other than a human) from the sub-phylum vertebrata of the phylum chordata. A "protected" animal is defined in s2 as one that is either commonly domesticated or one that is, at the time being, under the control of a person. The act also defines the five "welfare needs"
Offences include:
A person has a duty of care towards animals that person is responsible for – s9(1). Needs include suitable environment, diet, being housed with or apart from other animals, protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
Animals cannot be sold to children under 16 years outside a family context – s11(1), s11(6). Animals cannot be given as prizes to children under 16 years – s11(3)(b).
An appropriate national authority can make regulations regarding the licence and registration of animals.
An appropriate national authority may issue and revise codes of practice for providing practical guidance in respect to any provision in this Act – s14(1).
Failing to comply with a code of practice's provision will not, of itself, render that person liable to proceedings of any kind. However such failure to comply may sway proceedings under other provisions in the Act – s14(3), s14(4).
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