Statutes

Statute by category Citationsort ascending Summary
VT - Lost dog - Article 2. Killing Unlicensed Dogs; Subchapter 5. Control of Rabies 20 V.S.A. § 3621 - 3626; 20 V.S.A. § 3806 - 3809 These Vermont statute provide the law for seizure, confinement of, and destruction of dogs and domestic wolf-hybrids. It also includes a warrant form necessary for local authorities to seize and impound an offending dog or wolf-hybrid.
VT - Dogs, Wolf-hybrids - Consolidated Dog Laws 20 V.S.A. § 3511 - 3513; 3541 - 3817, 3901 - 3915, 4301 - 4304; 10 V.S.A. § 5001 - 5009, § 4748 These Vermont statutes comprise the state's dog laws. Among the provisions include licensing and control laws for both domestic dogs and wolf-hybrids, laws concerning the sale of dogs, and various wildlife/hunting laws that implicate dogs.
VT - Impound - Sub Chapter 2. Pounds and Impounds. 20 V.S.A. § 3381 - 3485 The following Vermont statutes require that each organized Vermont town maintain a pound or else the town will be fined $30.00. The statutes also provide provisions for impounding an animal, retrieving an impounded animal, failing to retrieve an impounded animal, and assessing damages of an impounded animal, amongst other topics.
VT - Swine, feral - § 3350. The disposition of feral swine 20 V.S.A. § 3350 This law, enacted in 2020, authorizes the Department of Fish and Wildlife to destroy or euthanize a feral swine in accordance with the requirements of 10 V.S.A. § 4709(f).
PA - Trust - § 7738. Trust for care of animal - UTC 408 20 Pa.C.S.A. § 7738 In 2006, Pennsylvania became the 32nd state to adopt a pet trust law. The law provides that a trust may be created to provide for the care of an animal alive during the settlor's lifetime. The trust terminates upon the death of the animal or, if the trust was created to provide for the care of more than one animal alive during the settlor's lifetime, upon the death of the last surviving animal.
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 - Animal Sacrifice - THE KERALA ANIMALS AND BIRDS SACRIFICES PROHIBITION ACT, 1968 20 of 1968 This law, specific to the state of Kerala, prohibits the sacrifice of animals and birds within the precincts of temples. No persons may officiate at, perform, or participate in an animal sacrifice - it is a criminal offence.
IL - Disaster - Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. 3305/4. Definitions. 20 I.L.C.S. 3305/4 The Illinois' Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act defines Emergency Operations Plan as the written plan of the State and political subdivisions describing the organization, mission, and functions of the government and supporting services for responding to and recovering from disasters and shall include plans that take into account the needs of those individuals with household pets and service animals following a major disaster or emergency.
OK - Horse - § 6-192. Horse meat 2 Okl. St. Ann. § 6-192, § 6-207 It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, offer or exhibit for sale, or have in his or her possession with intent to sell, any quantity of horsemeat for human consumption in Oklahoma.
OK - Ecoterrorism - G-1. Farm Animal, Crop, and Research Facilities Protection Act 2 Okl. St. Ann. § 5-103 to 107 This article is known as the “Oklahoma Farm Animal, Crop, and Research Facilities Protection Act." A person commits an offense if, without the consent of the owner, the person acquires or otherwise exercises control over an animal facility, an animal from an animal facility, or other property from an animal facility with the intent to deprive the owner of such facility, animal, or property and to disrupt or damage the enterprise conducted at the animal facility. Violation is a felony and results in a fine of up to $10,000 and/or 3 years imprisonment.
IN - Cattle Slaughter - THE BIHAR PRESERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF ANIMALS ACT, 1955 2 OF 1956 This law, specific to the state of Bihar, prohibits the slaughter of cows, calves, bulls, bullocks and female buffaloes. The prescribed authority may allow the slaughter of bulls and bullocks and female buffaloes under certain specific conditions. Persons may not export cows, female buffaloes, calves, heifers, buffalo calves, buffalo heifers, bulls and bullocks from the state. Animals that have infectious diseases must be segregated. Animal markets and fairs may not be held in infected areas.
DE - Assistance Animal - Delaware's Assistance Animal/Guide Dog Laws 2 Del.C. § 1917; 16 Del.C. § 3042F; 16 Del.C. § 3056F; 16 Del.C. § 9501 - 9506; 21 Del.C. § 4144; 6 Del.C. § 4501 - 4516; 31 Del.C. § 2117 The following statutes comprise the state's relevant assistance animal and guide dog laws.
UK - Dog - Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999 1999 c. 11

This Act amends and extends certain enactments relating to the commercial breeding and sale of dogs; regulates the welfare of dogs kept in commercial breeding establishments; extends powers of inspection; and establishes records of dogs kept at such establishments. This Act substantially amended the Breeding of Dogs Acts 1973 and 1991.

UK - Dangerous Dogs - Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act 1997 1997 CHAPTER 53

This amendment affects the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. The Amendment Act allows a court to exercise discretion in deciding whether to destroy a prohibited dog (e.g., a "pit bull" type dog, Japanese Tosa, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, or any dog with the physical appearance, not necessarily breed, of a fighting dog).

England, Wales & Scotland - Wild animals - Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 1996 CHAPTER 3 An Act providing protection for wild mammals against certain acts of deliberate harm. “Wild mammal” means any mammal which is not a “protected animal” within the meaning of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (Schedule 3, Section 13 of the 2006 Act). The following offences are specified in relation to any wild mammal: to mutilate, kick, beat, nail or otherwise impale, stab, burn, stone, crush, drown, drag or asphyxiate. The offences require proof of intent to inflict unnecessary suffering.
US - AWA - 1995 Public Law 104-88 1995 PL 104-88 Public Law 104-88 amended the Animal Welfare act by striking Interstate Commerce Commission and adding Surface Transportation Board.
UK - Slaughter - The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 1995 No. 731 Under these Regulations it is an offence to cause, or to permit, unavoidable excitement, pain or suffering to any animal during restraint, stunning, slaughter or killing.
Northern Ireland - Wildlife - Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995 1995 No. 380 These Regulations prohibit the deliberate taking, injuring, killing, disturbing, possession, or trading of certain wild species (as scheduled) in Northern Ireland. It is also an offence to take the nests or eggs of wild birds.
England, Wales & Scotland - Wildlife, badgers - Protection of Badgers Act 1992 1992 CHAPTER 51 This Act prohibits the deliberate killing, injuring or capturing of a wild badger; and any interfering with badger setts (and the attempt to do so). General exemptions are provided, and licenses may be issued for the taking and killing of badgers (for example, as obtained for recent badger culls).
UK - Dangerous Dogs - Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 1991 CHAPTER 65

An Act to prohibit persons from having in their possession or custody dogs belonging to types bred for fighting; to impose restrictions in respect of such dogs pending the coming into force of the prohibition; to enable restrictions to be imposed in relation to other types of dog which present a serious danger to the public; to make further provision for securing that dogs are kept under proper control; and for connected purposes.

England, Wales & Scotland - Wildlife - Deer Act 1991 1991 CHAPTER 54 This Act makes it a an offence to take or intentionally kill certain deer during the closed season, and to kill any deer at night (with exceptions). Various methods used to take or kill deer are also prohibited.
UK - Dog - Breeding of Dogs Act 1991 1991 c. 64

This Act extends the powers of inspection for the purposes of the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 to premises not covered by a licence under that Act, thereby enabling local authorities to investigate suspicions that a dog breeding establishment is operating without the necessary license

US - AWA - 1990 Public Law 101-624 1990 PL 101-624 Enacted November 28, 1990, this public law amends the Animal Welfare Act by establishing holding period for dogs and cats at shelters and other holding facilities before sale to dealers. It requires dealers to provide written certification regarding each animal's background to the recipient. Specific items included on the certificate are mechanisms of enforcement, injunctions, and penalties for violation.
England, Wales & Scotland - Sales, live animal - The Welfare of Animals at Markets Order 1990 1990 No. 2628 Rules covering the treatment of animals in markets, which make it an offence to cause or permit any injury or unnecessary suffering to an animal at a market. The Order also sets out specific arrangements in respect of penning, food and water and the care of young animals.
US - Tuna Fishing - Legislative History of the MMPA (1988) 1988 WL 169926

This legislative history provides the background and section by section analysis of the 1988 amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act.  As in 1981, the focus of the amendments rests with the mortality of dolphins from the tuna fishing industry.

UK - Cruelty - Protection against Cruel Tethering Act 1988 1988 c.31

For historical purposes only. Law has been repealed and/or replaced. The Protection against Cruel Tethering Act 1988 is an act to protect horses, asses and mules against cruel tethering. This means in such conditions or such a manner to cause that animal unnecessary suffering.

UK - Research Animals - Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 1986 CHAPTER 14 An Act to regulate the use of live vertebrate animals in research. Before a test on animals is given permission to proceed various licenses are required. These include: a personal license for each person carrying out the procedure, a project license for the programme of work, and an establishment license for the place in which the work is carried out. Each project must undergo a harm/ benefit analysis. This considers the potential benefits for humankind, the environment or other animals, against the pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm which the experimental animals may experience. Licence holders who lawfully use animals under the Act are exempted from the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, and the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. Section 24 of the Act makes it an offence to disclose any information relating to a regulated animal experiment which has been, or is reasonably believed to have been, given in confidence.
US - AWA - 1985 Public Law 99-198 1985 PL 99-198 The set of amendments that Congress adopted in December of 1985 focused almost entirely on the issue of animal research, (1) the minimum level of care is stated with more specificity, (2) animal research facilities are required to create Institutional Animal Committees, which include the presence of a public member from outside the facility, (3) trade secrets of research facilities are protected by a new section of the AWA.
Criminal Code, Article 291 BIS and 291 TER 1984 Article 291 BIS establishes the penalties for cruelty or mistreatment against animals. Article 291 TER defines animal cruelty and mistreatment.
US - Tuna Fishing - Legislative History of the MMPA (1981) 1981 U.S.C.C.A.N. 1458

This legislative history outlines the background and analysis of the 1981 amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act.  Of particular note is the discussion related to the "zero mortality" goal for dolphins in the tuna fishing industry.

UK - Zoos - Zoo Licensing Act 1981 1981 c. 37

The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 is an Act to regulate by licence the conduct of zoos. The Act defines a zoo "[as] an establishment where wild animals are kept for exhibition to the public otherwise than for the purposes of a circus and otherwise than as a pet shop; and this Act applies to any zoo to which members of the public have access, with or without charge for admission, on more than seven days in any period of 12 consecutive months".

US - AWA - 1976 Public Law 94-279 1976 PL 94-279 The 1976 Amendments of the AWA dealt with several new topics: (1) transportation carriers and intermediate handlers of animals were brought under the provisions of the Act, (2) a number of specific transportation problems were addressed by Congress, (3) a new provision was added which made it a crime to knowingly sponsor, participate in, transport, or use the mails to promote fights between live birds, live dogs or other mammals, (4) the penalty provisions were rewritten, allowing the broad use of civil fines.
UK - Dangerous - Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 ("DWAA") 1976 c. 38

The Dangerous Wild Animals Act ("DWAA") was originally enacted in 1976 and amended in 2010. The act ensures that individuals who keep wild animals do so in a way that minimizes the risk to the public. In particular, the act provides that no person may keep any dangerous wild animal except under the authority of a licence granted by a local authority. The local authority that holds the licence may enter the premises where the animal is being kept at all reasonable times to determine whether an offence has been committed in violation of the act. Zoos, circuses, and pet shops are exempt from the act. The act has an accompanying Schedule that specifies the kinds of dangerous wild animals for which a person must obtain a licence under the act.

UK - Dog - Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 1973 c. 60

This Act establishes a regime of local authority licensing and inspection of dog breeding establishments.

US - AWA - 1970 Public Law 91-579 1970 PL 91-579

There were four areas of significant change to the AWA in the 1970 amendments: (1) the definition of "animal" was expanded to include warm-blooded animals generally, (2) more human entities were brought under the regulatory provisions of the Act: animal exhibitors (i.e., circuses, zoos and roadside shows), and wholesale pet dealers, (3) the lab door of research facilities was opened more, requiring that certain humane standards be maintained at all times, (4) the Secretary's enforcement powers were strengthened and protection for government inspectors was provided from individuals who interfered with enforcement actions under the Act.

UK - Riding - Riding Establishments Act 1970 1970 CHAPTER 32

An Act to confer further powers on local authorities with respect to the licensing of riding establishments and to amend the Riding Establishments Act 1964.

US - AWA - 1966 Public Law 89-544 1966 PL 89-544

As stated in Senate Report No. 1280 there were three main purposes for the proposed law in 1966: (1) to protect the owners of pet dogs and cats from the theft of their pets; (2) to prevent the use or sale of stolen dogs or cats for purposes of research or experimentation; and (3) to establish humane standards for the treatment of dogs, cats, and certain other animals by animal dealers and research facilities.

UK - Welfare - Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Act 1964 1964 c. 39

For historical purposes only. Law has been repealed and/or replaced. An Act to amend the Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Act 1954.

UK - Boarding - Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 1963 c. 43

The 1963 Animal Boarding Establishments Act deals with places where the boarding of animals is being carried on as a business. This act requires such establishments to be licensed by the local authority. The act defines "boarding establishments" as those premises, including private dwellings, where the business consists of providing accommodation for other people’s cats and dogs. When deciding to issue a license, the local authority shall consider the suitability of the conditions (e.g., size of quarters, lighting, food, water, disease control, etc.) present at the boarding establishment.

UK - Pets - Abandonment of Animals Act 1960 1960 c. 43

For historical purposes only. Law has been repealed and/or replaced. An Act to prohibit the abandonment of animals in circumstances likely to cause unnecessary suffering thereto.

UK - Welfare - Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Act 1954 1954 c. 46

For historical purposes only. Law has been repealed and/or replaced. An Act to extend the provisions of the Protection of Animals Acts in relation to the performance of operations on animals. The statute provides a list of operations that may only be performed with the use of anaesthetic.

UK - Fighting - Cockfighting Act 1952 1952 c.52

For historical purposes only. Law has been repealed and/or replaced. The Cockfighting Act, 1952 makes it unlawful to have possession of any instrument or appliance designed or adapted for use in connection with the fighting of a domestic fowl. A person guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable, on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or to a fine not exceeding twenty-five pounds, or to both such imprisonment and such fine.

UK - Circus - Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925 1925 CHAPTER 38

The Performing Animals Act 1925 requires any person who exhibits or trains any performing (vertebrate) animal to be registered with a local authority. This information is kept in the local register. The law also gives power to local authorities to prohibit animal training or exhibition where it is accompanied by cruelty.  Any officer of a local authority duly authorised in that behalf by the local authority and any constable may inspect performance premises during reasonable hours. Failure to become properly registered or concealing an animal to avoid inspection makes a person guilty of an offence.

UK - Cruelty - Protection of Animals Act 1911 1911 Ch 27

For historical purposes only. Law has been repealed and/or replaced. The main piece of anti-cruelty legislation applicable to England and Wales. The law was replaced by the 2006 Amendments to this Act.

CA - Historical - Statutes of 1900: Sections 597-599c 1900 Cal. Stat. §§ 597 - 599c The General Laws of California from 1900 covers such sections concerning: Cruelty to Animals, Poisoning of Cattle, killing of birds in cemeteries and killing of gulls or cranes. The Cruelty to Animal section describes laws concerning horses, abandoned animal, torture and maiming of animals, use of animals in fights, and arrest without warrants. In addition, the section covers evidence, stallions, and impounding without food and water. The section about the killing of birds in the cemetery concerns also killing and detaining of homing pigeons. The last section about killing of gulls and cranes also concerns the destruction of eggs and nests.
ME - Domestic Violence- Title 19-A. Domestic Relations. 19-A M.R.S.A. §§ 4006, 4007 This Maine law concerning personal protection orders in cases of abuse was amended in March of 2006 to include companion animals in protection orders. The new language specifies that a court may enter an order directing the care, custody or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept or held by either party or a minor child residing in the household. In 2013, the statute was amended to allow the court to enter an order directing the defendant to refrain from injuring or threatening to injure any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept or held by either party or a minor child residing in the household.
US - Trade - Tariff Act of 1930 19 USCA § 1481 This federal law outlines the requirements for importation invoices.
US - Fur, dog and cat fur products - Chapter 4. Tariff Act of 1930. 19 U.S.C.A. § 1308 This federal statute prohibits commerce in dog or cat fur. Specifically, the statute forbids import into, or export from, the United States of any dog or cat fur product; or the introduction into interstate commerce, manufacture for introduction into interstate commerce, sell, trade, or advertise in interstate commerce, offer to sell, or transport or distribute in interstate commerce in the United States, any dog or cat fur product. The exception under the act is for the importation, exportation, or transportation, for noncommercial purposes, of a personal pet that is deceased, including a pet preserved through taxidermy.
Maryland General Laws Supplement 1890-1898: Cruelty to Animals 1890 Md. Laws 142,198,340 The Maryland General Laws supplement covers the additions to the Cruelty of Animals statutes for Maryland from 1890-1898. The amendments cover court procedure to implementation of specific laws for certain animals.
Decreto 141, 1975 188514 Approves and adopts the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), ratified in Washington, March 3, 1973.

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