Enhanced penalties in draft Animal Welfare Act

Feb 18, 2011 |

New Delhi

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Animal Welfare Act

Beating, kicking, torture including over-drives and over-loads and unnecessary killing ofany animal will be dealt with stringent punishment and heavy fines, according to the environment ministry's proposed draft Animal Welfare Act, 2011.

Apart from this, the draft of the legislation to provide for the welfare and well-being of animals also recommends setting up of Animal Welfare Boards both at central and state levels for the prevention of cruelty to animals.

"This legislation, which will replace the existing Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, will provide for enhanced penalties and clearer definitions of animal abuse," the ministry said in its note.

The ministry, which posted the draft legislation on its website, has invited comments by March 20.

If any person employs in any work any animal without adequate rest, food or water and indulges in other cruelties like keeping any animal chained, abandoning them to starvation and thirst will have to face punishments including imprisonment, if the Act is passed.

"It shall be the duty of every person having the care or charge of any animal, whether as owner or otherwise, to ensure the welfare and well-being of such animal and to prevent the infliction of trauma, pain or suffering upon such animals," says the proposed draft legislation.

It clearly states that every such person should ensure that an animal in his care has freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition, freedom from discomfort due to environment, freedom from pain, injury and disease, freedom to express normal behaviour for the species and freedom from fear and distress.

The proposed draft legislation prevents persons or institutions from performing experiments on animals "unless permitted by the committee for the Purpose of Control and supervision of experiments on animals, established under this Act."

"The Animal Welfare Act, 2011 is an Act to provide for the welfare and well-being of animals, and to prevent the infliction of trauma, pain or suffering on them, and to prevent unnecessary killing of animals, and for that purpose to consolidate the law relating to prevention of cruelty to animals and providing for their welfare generally," the ministry said.

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