This new act has a number of features that did not appear before in animal welfare legislation.
Some of the important changes relate to the offence of cruelty to animals, the changed definition of offences, the increased penalties for offences, the increased powers to the judiciary, the increased responsibilities of owners, and most critically the extension of authorized officer powers to NGO welfare organizations with a focus on urban areas.
Examples of these changes include:
- It is now an offence to attend a dog fight – except for specific exceptions. Just being there can now result in a fine or imprisonment.
- Summary conviction can lead to fines of €5,000 and on indictment €25,000 and/or imprisonment up to 5 years.
- The Judiciary can now disqualify people from owning or working with animals.
- Owners must provide for the 5 freedoms i.e. freedom
- from Hunger and thirst;
- from Discomfort;
- from Pain, injury and disease;
- to exhibit natural behavior;
- from fear and distress.
- It is an offence for an owner to abandon an animal
Whereas before a cruelty or welfare situation had to develop before there could be interference, now there is greater power to intervene in advance of a problem arising. This is likely to be the area where NGOs (such as the ISPCA) can become involved at an early stage.
There are new rules on the transfer of ownership of horses.
It is an offence to sell an animal to a person under 16 years of age, or to give an animal as a prize to a person under 16 years of age unless accompanied by a person of full age.
There is a Departmental Animal Welfare helpline – 1850 211 990
and a dedicated email address animalwelfare@agriculture.gov.ie to report instances where animal welfare may be compromised.
See The Act in full here (.pdf).
Cork Cat Action Trust 