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Offence and what it covers

1Wild animals in travelling circuses: offence

(1)A person who is a circus operator commits an offence if the person uses, or causes or permits another person to use, a wild animal in a travelling circus.

(2)An offence under this section is committed in relation to a travelling circus only if the wild animal is transported, whether regularly or irregularly, from one place to another where it is used in the travelling circus, but—

(a)the animal need not be in the course of being transported for the offence to be committed,

(b)it is immaterial to the commission of the offence whether or not the transportation of the animal is with, or is part of, the travelling circus.

(3)For the purpose of this section, a wild animal is used if the animal—

(a)performs, or

(b)is displayed or exhibited.

(4)A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

2Meaning of wild animal

(1)In this Act, “wild animal” means an animal other than one of a kind that is commonly domesticated in the British Islands.

(2)For the purpose of subsection (1), an animal is of a kind that is domesticated if the behaviour, life cycle or physiology of animals of that kind has been altered as a result of the breeding or living conditions of multiple generations of animals of that kind being under human control.

(3)In this section—

3Meaning of other key terms

In this Act—

4Power to specify animals as wild or not

(1)The Scottish Ministers may by regulations specify—

(a)a kind of animal that is to be regarded as wild,

(b)a kind of animal that is not to be regarded as wild,

for the purposes of this Act.

(2)For the avoidance of doubt—

(a)whatever is done by regulations under subsection (1)(a) is without prejudice to the generality of section 2,

(b)the generality of section 2 is subject to whatever is done by regulations under subsection (1)(b).

(3)Regulations under this section—

(a)may make different provision for different purposes,

(b)are subject to the affirmative procedure.

5Power to describe what is or is not a travelling circus

(1)The Scottish Ministers may by regulations describe a particular type of undertaking, act, entertainment or similar thing that—

(a)is to be regarded as a travelling circus,

(b)is not to be regarded as a travelling circus,

for the purposes of this Act.

(2)For the avoidance of doubt—

(a)whatever is done by regulations under subsection (1)(a) is without prejudice to the generality of section 3,

(b)the generality of section 3 is subject to whatever is done by regulations under subsection (1)(b).

(3)Regulations under subsection (1)—

(a)may make different provision for different purposes,

(b)are subject to the affirmative procedure.