Cattle: Related Statutes

Statute by categorysort descending Citation Summary
IN - Cow Slaughter - THE HARYANA GAUVANSH SANRAKSHAN AND GAUMSAMVARDHAN ACT, 2015 20 of 2015 The Act, specific to the North Indian state of Haryana, prohibits cow slaughter. A cow may be slaughtered only under certain conditions, and a person slaughtering a cow under these conditions must obtain a certificate from a registered veterinary practitioner. Cows cannot be exported for slaughter. Persons may not sell, store, keep or transport beef or beef products. The Act provides for the creation of a scheme or project for the conservation of indigenous breeds of cow. The Government must establish and maintain institutions to look after infirm, stray and 'uneconomic' cows. An offence under this Act carried with it imprisonment and fines.
IN - Cow Slaughter - THE UTTAR PRADESH PREVENTION OF COW SLAUGHTER ACT, 1955 1 of 1956 The law, specific to the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, prohibits cow slaughter, the sale of beef or transport of beef. Cattle may be transported from one part of the state to another only on receiving a permit from the state government. The law criminalizes causing physical injury to cows and their progeny that is likely to endanger the life of the cows. This includes not providing cows with food or water. Violation of the law may result in a fine or imprisonment.
IN - Cruelty - Section 429 Indian Penal Code 1860 45 of 1860 Killing, poisoning, maiming, or 'rendering useless' cattle, including elephants, or any other animal worth over fifty rupees, is a criminal offence.
IN - Draught Animals - THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO DRAUGHT AND PACK ANIMALS RULES, 1965 Section 38 of the prevention of cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 The Rules, drafted under Section 38(2) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1965, regulate the weights that cattle and horses can draw. The Rules also stipulate the conditions under which animals may not be allowed to draw vehicles or carry loads. The Rules also prohibit the use of spiked sticks and bits.
IN - Humane Slaughter - Chapter 5. Meat and Poultry Inspection; Humane Slaughter Act I.C. 15-17-5-1 to 31 This Indiana statutory section comprises both the state's meat processing laws and humane slaughter provisions. The state board responsible for carrying out this Act are empowered to adopt rules governing humane methods to make livestock or poultry insensible to pain before incision of an instrument for severance of the carotid arteries. The rules must conform as far as applicable to the regulations promulgated under the Federal Humane Slaughter Act. Most of the laws in this section pertain to inspection of commercial livestock facilities and the labeling of postmortem and antemortem animals. However, violation of the humane slaughter provisions appear to result in a Class B misdemeanor where there has been a "reckless violation."
IN - Registration of Cattle Premises - THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS (REGISTRATION OF CATTLE PREMISES) RULES, 1978 The Rules, adopted under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, provide for the registration of premises having five or more heads of cattle kept for the purpose of profit. The owner of the premises must apply for a certificate and the premises shall be open for inspection at all reasonable times. On premises where milch cattle are kept, a copy of Section 12 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act must be displayed in the local language. The provision prohibits the performance of 'phooka' or 'doom dev '.
MA - Eggs - Ch. 129 Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act M.G.L.A. 129 §§ 1-1 - 1-12 This collection of laws was created by Massachusetts voters when they approved Question 3 and the 2016 ballot. These laws prevent the inhumane confinement of pregnant pigs, calves raised for veal, and egg-laying hens in the state of Massachusetts. These laws also prohibit the sale of products in Massachusetts made from animals confined in violation of these laws.
MS - Slaughter - Chapter 35. Meat Inspection Miss. Code Ann. § 75-35-1 to 75-35-327

These Mississippi statutes regulate meat products, animal slaughter, inspection and branding. Animals to be slaughtered must examined and slaughtered humanely, which means being “rendered insensible to pain... before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast or cut.” Meat and meat products must be labeled “Mississippi inspected and passed.” Any violation of the provisions may result in imprisonment and/or a fine.

NH - Humane Slaughter - Chapter 427. Livestock and Meat Inspection. Humane Slaughter N.H. Rev. Stat. § 427:33 - 427:37 These laws comprise New Hampshire's humane slaughter provisions. A humane method is defined as one where the animal is rendered insensible to pain by a single blow or shot of a mechanical instrument or by electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective, before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut. Ritual slaughter required by the ritual of the Jewish faith, whereby the animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain is also allowed. Any slaughterer who violates this subdivision shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
OH - Humane Slaughter - Chapter 945. Humane Slaughter of Livestock. R.C. § 945.01 - 99 These laws comprise Ohio's humane slaughter provisions. After July 1, 1967, no method of slaughtering livestock or handling in connection with the commercial slaughtering of livestock shall be utilized unless it is humane. Humane methods are defined as those that render animals insensible to pain by a single blow or gunshot or an electrical, chemical, or other means that is rapid and effective. Slaughter in accordance with the ritual requirements of the Jewish faith or any other religious faith that prescribes a method of slaughter whereby the animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain is also allowed. Violation of the act results in a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.
OH - Initiatives - Ohio Livestock Care Standards Amendment, Issue 2 (2009) Ohio Livestock Care Standards Amendment, Issue 2 (2009) This ballot issue, entitled the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Amendment, Issue 2, appeared on the November 3, 2009 general election ballot as a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment. The amendment proposed creating a 13-member Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board for the purpose of establishing standards governing the care of livestock and poultry. Ohio Issue 3 was approved by voters approved by 63.66% to 36.34%.
OR - Humane Slaughter - Chapter 603. Meat Dealers and Slaughterers. Meat Dealers and Slaughterers, in General. O. R. S. § 603.010 - 992 These Oregon laws comprise the state's slaughter laws. Among the provisions is the humane slaughter law, which requires that cattle, equines, sheep, or swine are slaughtered by by any method which renders the animal insensible to pain by a single blow or gunshot or by an electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective; or by a method in accordance with the ritual requirements of any religious faith that prescribes a method of slaughter whereby the animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain. Violation of ORS 603.065 (the humane slaughter law) is a Class B misdemeanor.
PA - Humane Slaughter - Slaughter and Processing of Domestic Animals 3 Pa.C.S.A. § 2361 - 2362 These laws comprise Pennsylvania's humane slaughter provisions. The section begins with the enabling statute that grants authority to the relevant state agency. It then declares that humane methods shall be used in the handling of domestic animals for slaughter and in the actual bleeding and slaughter of domestic animals except in the cases of slaughter for ritual purposes or individual (e.g., non-commercial) consumption. The law itself does not proscribe penalties for non-compliance (but such may be listed in departmental regulations).
RI - Humane Slaughter - Chapter 17. Humane Slaughter of Livestock Gen. Laws, 1956, § 4-17-1 to 7 This section comprises Rhode Island's humane slaughter provisions. It begins first by declaring it to be the policy of the state that the slaughter of all livestock and the handling of livestock, in connection with slaughter, be carried out only by humane methods. A "humane method" is defined as a method through which the animal is rendered insensible to pain by mechanical, electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut; or a method in accordance with the ritual requirements of the Jewish faith or any other religious faith through which the animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain. Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred ($500) dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than one year.
TN - Bovine - Chapter 21. Liability of Bovine Owners T. C. A. § 44-21-101 - 104 This chapter operates similarly to equine activity liability laws and provides that a bovine owner shall not be liable for any injury, loss, damage, or death of a person resulting from the inherent risks of bovine activities. The section also requires the posting of warning signs alerting visitors to bovine activities that the owner or operator is not liable.
UK - Farming - UK General Welfare of Farmed Animals Regs. 2000 Statutory Instrument 2000 No. 1870

For historical purposes only. Law has been repealed and/or replaced. The UK's general animal welfare legislation affecting any animal (including fish, reptiles or amphibians) bred or kept for the production of food, wool, skin or fur or for other farming purposes.

UK - Farming - UK Welfare of Farmed Animals (Amend.) Statutory Instrument 2002 No. 1646

For historical purposes only. Law has been repealed and/or replaced. These Regulations may be cited as the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2002. The provisions mainly concern egg-laying hens.

US - Cattle - Milk Income Loss Contract Program 7 U.S.C.A. § 7981 - 7984 Federal program that compensates dairy producers when domestic milk prices fall below a specified level.
US - Food Animal - Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter 7 USC 1901 - 1907 These statutory sections comprise what is commonly termed the Humane Slaughter Act. Included in these sections are Congress' statement that livestock must be slaughtered in a humane manner to prevent needless suffering, research methods on humane methods of slaughter, the nonapplicability of these statutes to religious or ritual slaughter, and the investigation into the care of nonambulatory livestock.
US - Food Animal - Twenty Eight Hour Law 49 USC 80502 This Federal law addresses the transportation of animals, including those raised for food or in food production, across state lines. The statute provides that animals cannot be transported by "rail carrier, express carrier or common carrier" (except by air or water) for more than 28 consecutive hours without being unloaded for five hours for rest, water and food.
UT - Livestock - § 76-6-111. Wanton destruction of livestock--Penalties--Seizure and disposition of property U.C.A. 1953 § 76-6-111 This Utah statute makes wanton destruction of livestock a crime. A person is guilty if that person intentionally or knowingly and without the permission of the owner injures, physically alters, releases, or causes the death of livestock. Wanton destruction of livestock is punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the value of the livestock.
VT - Humane Slaughter - Humane Slaughter of Livestock 6 V.S.A. § 3131 - 3134 These statutes comprise Vermont's humane slaughter provisions. The law requires the humane slaughter of all commercial livestock with a "humane method" defined as a method whereby the animal is rendered insensible to pain by mechanical, electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast or cut (with exemptions for religious ritual slaughter). A person who violates this chapter shall be fined not more than $100.00 nor less than $50.00 or imprisoned not more than ninety days, or both, and in addition, the secretary may seek an injunction against a slaughterer.
WV - Horse Slaughter - Article 2B. Inspection of Meat and Poultry. W. Va. Code, §§ 19-2B-1 to 12 The stated purpose of this article is to provide for the inspection, labeling and disposition of animals, poultry, carcasses, meat products and poultry products which are to be sold or offered for sale through commercial outlets for human consumption, the licensing of commercial slaughterers, custom slaughterers and processors, and the inspection of slaughterhouses and processing plants located in the state of West Virginia. With regard to horse slaughter, the article makes it unlawful to add kangaroo meat, horse meat, mule meat or other equine meat to any animal meat, meat product or poultry product to be sold or offered for sale through commercial outlets or distributors for human consumption.
WV - Humane Slaughter - Article 2E. Humane Slaughter of Livestock. W. Va. Code, §§ 19-2E-1 to 7 The West Virginia humane slaughter provisions apply to livestock, defined as cattle, swine, sheep or goats. Humane methods of slaughtering livestock include those where the animal is rendered insensible to pain by a single blow, gunshot or by electrical, chemical or other means, or by slaughtering in accordance with the ritual requirements of the Jewish faith or any other religious faith that prescribes a method of slaughter by the simultaneous and instantaneous severance of the carotid arteries. The section provides a graduating scheme of penalties for violation; a first offense results in a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $100 - $500; a second offense results in a misdemeanor with a fine of $500 - 1,000 and suspension of the license to do business as a slaughtering establishment until the facility is in compliance.
WY - Livestock - Chapter 30. Offenses Concerning Livestock and Other Animals. W. S. 1977 § 11-30-101 to 115 This Wyoming chapter of laws covers such offenses from misbranding livestock to a prohibition on the desertion and abandonment of sheep. Specific horse offenses are detailed, such as taking possession of any horse or mule found running at large on the open range with the intent of working or riding it, and the use of horses by a stable keeper without consent of the owner. The chapter also makes it a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $750 and/or imprisonment for up to 6 months for willfully or maliciously killing a wild horse.

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