1Enlargement of classes of operations in which anaesthetics must be used.
1
Schedule 1 to the Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Act 1954 (which lists operations which may be performed without an anaesthetic) shall be amended as follows.
2
Paragraph 5 (castration of dogs and cats below certain ages) shall be repealed.
3
For paragraph 6 (castration of horses, asses or mules, bulls, sheep, goats and pigs below certain ages) there shall be substituted the following paragraphs—
6
The castration of a male animal specified in the following table before it has reached the age so specified, that is to say—
bull
3 months
sheep
3 months
goat
2 months
pig
2 months.
6A
The foregoing paragraph shall not apply to the castration of an animal by using a rubber ring or other device to constrict the flow of blood to the scrotum unless the device is applied within the first week of life.
4
Paragraphs 7 and 8 (minor operations which are customarily performed without an anaesthetic) shall not in any circumstances permit—
a
the castration of a male animal (but without prejudice to the circumstances in which castration is permitted by paragraph 6 of the Schedule as set out in subsection (3) of this section);
b
the de-horning of cattle;
c
the dis-budding of calves, except by means of chemical cauterisation applied within the first week of life; or
d
the docking of lambs' tails by using a rubber ring or other device to constrict the flow of blood to the tail, unless the device is applied within the first week of life.
5
In this section " cattle" means bulls, cows, bullocks, heifers, calves, steers or oxen.