Animal Welfare Act 2006 Explanatory Notes

Promotion of welfare

Section 11: Transfer of animals by way of sale or prize to persons under 16

61.Subsections (1) and (2) prohibit vendors from selling animals to any person under 16 in circumstances where they have reasonable cause to believe that the person is under 16. The prohibition applies equally to the direct sale of an animal and to any indirect sale that may accompany an otherwise legal transaction. The section extends the scope of the existing offence in section 3 of the Pet Animals Act 1951, which prohibits the sale of pet animals to children under 12.

62.Subsections (3) and (4) make it an offence to enter into an arrangement with a person reasonably believed to be under 16, who is not accompanied by an adult, whereby an animal is to be won as a prize, except in the circumstances specified.

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