Abandonment of Animals Act 1960

1960 CHAPTER 43

An Act to prohibit the abandonment of animals; and for purposes connected therewith.

[2nd June 1960]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1 Penalties for abandonment of animals.

If any person being the owner or having charge or control of any animal shall without reasonable cause or excuse abandon it, whether permanently or not, in circumstances likely to cause the animal any unnecessary suffering, or cause or procure or, being the owner, permit it to be so abandoned, he shall be guilty of an offence of cruelty within the meaning of the principal Act and liable to the penalties prescribed by subsection (1) of section one of that Act, and the provisions of the Protection of Animals Acts shall apply to an offence under this section as they apply to an offence against the said subsection (1).

2 Interpretation.

In this Act " the principal Act" and " the Protection of Animals Acts " mean respectively,—

(a) in relation to England and Wales, the [1 & 2 Geo. 5. c. 27.] Protection of Animals Act, 1911, as amended by or under any other enactment, and the Protection of Animals Acts, 1911 to 1954;

(b) in relation to Scotland, the [2 & 3 Geo. 5. c. 14.] Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act, 1912, as so amended, and the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Acts, 1912 to 1954,

and " animal " has the same meaning as in the principal Act.

3 Short title, citation and extent.

(1) This Act may be cited as the Abandonment of Animals Act, 1960.

(2) This Act and the Protection of Animals Acts may be cited together as the Protection of Animals Acts, 1911 to 1960, or the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Acts, 1912 to 1960, as the case may be.

(3) This Act shall not extend to Northern Ireland.