Article 21 Treatment and removal of unfit animals

Where in the opinion of a veterinary inspector an animal in a market or lair is being or is likely to be caused unnecessary suffering by reason of sickness, injury, over-stocking of the udder, lack of food or water, exposure to adverse weather, defective accommodation, unsuitable tethering or any other cause, he may treat the animal or cause it to be treated and take, or cause to be taken, such other steps as he considers necessary to protect it from such suffering, and he may for any such purpose remove the animal or cause it to be removed to a suitable place in the vicinity ,and keep it there for as long as he considers necessary for the purpose of treatment or otherwise protecting it from such suffering.

The reasonable cost of treating, removing or keeping an animal, or of taking any steps to protect it from suffering in accordance with this Article, may be recovered by the Department as a civil debt from the owner of the animal, the market authority or the lairage authority according to whichever is deemed by the Department to be responsible for payment of such cost.