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Animal Welfare Act 2006

2006 c. 45 · Enacted 8 November 2006 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 6 April 2026.

An Act to make provision about animal welfare; and for connected purposes.

[8th November 2006]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Contents

  1. Introductory
  2. 1Animals to which the Act applies
  3. 2“Protected animal”
  4. 3Responsibility for animals
  5. Prevention of harm
  6. 4Unnecessary suffering
  7. 5Mutilation
  8. 6Docking of dogs' tails
  9. 7Administration of poisons etc.
  10. 8Fighting etc.
  11. Promotion of welfare
  12. 9Duty of person responsible for animal to ensure welfare
  13. 10Improvement notices
  14. 11Transfer of animals by way of sale or prize to persons under 16
  15. 12Regulations to promote welfare
  16. Licensing and registration
  17. 13Licensing or registration of activities involving animals
  18. Codes of practice
  19. 14Codes of practice
  20. 15Making and approval of codes of practice: England
  21. 16Making of codes of practice: Wales
  22. 17Revocation of codes of practice
  23. Animals in distress
  24. 18Powers in relation to animals in distress
  25. 19Power of entry for section 18 purposes
  26. 20Orders in relation to animals taken under section 18(5)
  27. 21Orders under section 20: appeals
  28. Enforcement powers
  29. 22Seizure of animals involved in fighting offences
  30. 23Entry and search under warrant in connection with offences
  31. 24Entry for purposes of arrest
  32. 25Inspection of records required to be kept by holder of licence
  33. 26Inspection in connection with licences
  34. 27Inspection in connection with registration
  35. 28Inspection of farm premises
  36. 29Inspection relating to assimilated law
  37. Prosecutions
  38. 30Power of local authority to prosecute offences
  39. 31Time limits for prosecutions
  40. Post-conviction powers
  41. 32Imprisonment or fine
  42. 33Deprivation
  43. 34Disqualification
  44. 35Seizure of animals in connection with disqualification
  45. 36Section 35: supplementary
  46. 37Destruction in the interests of the animal
  47. 38Destruction of animals involved in fighting offences
  48. 39Reimbursement of expenses relating to animals involved in fighting offences
  49. 40Forfeiture of equipment used in offences
  50. 41Orders under section 33, 35, 37, 38 or 40: pending appeals
  51. 42Orders with respect to licences
  52. 43Termination of disqualification under section 34 or 42
  53. 44Orders made on conviction for reimbursement of expenses
  54. 45Orders for reimbursement of expenses: right of appeal for non-offenders
  55. Scotland
  56. 46Effect in Scotland of disqualification under section 34
  57. 47Deprivation orders in connection with offence under section 46(2)
  58. 48Seizure orders where disqualification breached: Scotland
  59. 49Appeals against deprivation orders and seizure orders
  60. 50Deprivation orders, seizure orders and interim orders: offences
  61. General
  62. 51Inspectors
  63. 52Conditions for grant of warrant
  64. 53Powers of entry, inspection and search: supplementary
  65. 54Power to stop and detain vehicles
  66. 55Power to detain vessels, aircraft and hovercraft
  67. 56Obtaining of documents in connection with carrying out orders etc.
  68. 57Offences by bodies corporate
  69. 58Scientific research
  70. 59Fishing
  71. 60Crown application
  72. 61Orders and regulations
  73. 62General interpretation
  74. 63Financial provisions
  75. 64Minor and consequential amendments
  76. 65Repeals
  77. 66Transition
  78. 67Extent
  79. 68Commencement
  80. 69Short title
  81. Schedule 1: Regulations under section 13
  82. Part 1: Licences for the purposes of the section
  83. Introductory
  84. 1Paragraph 1
  85. Licensing authority
  86. 2Paragraph 2
  87. 3Paragraph 3
  88. Period of licence
  89. 4Paragraph 4
  90. 5Paragraph 5
  91. Exercise of licensing functions
  92. 6Paragraph 6
  93. 7Paragraph 7
  94. Grant of licence subject to conditions
  95. 8Paragraph 8
  96. Breach of licence condition
  97. 9Paragraph 9
  98. Appeals
  99. 10Paragraph 10
  100. Fees
  101. 11Paragraph 11
  102. Part 2: Registration for the purposes of the section
  103. Introductory
  104. 12Paragraph 12
  105. Registering authority
  106. 13Paragraph 13
  107. 14Paragraph 14
  108. Exercise of registration functions
  109. 15Paragraph 15
  110. Appeals
  111. 16Paragraph 16
  112. Fees
  113. 17Paragraph 17
  114. Part 3: Supplementary
  115. 18Paragraph 18
  116. 19Paragraph 19
  117. Schedule 2: Powers of entry, inspection and search: supplementary
  118. Safeguards etc. in connection with powers of entry conferred by warrant
  119. 1Paragraph 1
  120. 2Paragraph 2
  121. 3Paragraph 3
  122. Duty to produce evidence of identity
  123. 4Paragraph 4
  124. Power to take persons onto premises
  125. 5Paragraph 5
  126. Duty to exercise power of entry at reasonable time
  127. 6Paragraph 6
  128. Power to require assistance
  129. 7Paragraph 7
  130. Power to take equipment onto premises
  131. 8Paragraph 8
  132. Duty to leave premises secured
  133. 9Paragraph 9
  134. Functions in connection with inspection and search
  135. 10Paragraph 10
  136. 11Paragraph 11
  137. 12Paragraph 12
  138. 13Paragraph 13
  139. 14Paragraph 14
  140. Functions in connection with entry under section 19
  141. 15Paragraph 15
  142. Offences
  143. 16Paragraph 16
  144. Schedule 3: Minor and consequential amendments
  145. Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925 (c. 38)
  146. 1Paragraph 1
  147. Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937 (c. 59)
  148. 2Paragraph 2
  149. Pet Animals Act 1951 (c. 35)
  150. 3Paragraph 3
  151. Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1954 (c. 40)
  152. 4Paragraph 4
  153. Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 (c. 43)
  154. 5Paragraph 5
  155. Riding Establishments Act 1964 (c. 70)
  156. 6Paragraph 6
  157. Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 (c. 60)
  158. 7Paragraph 7
  159. Guard Dogs Act 1975 (c. 50)
  160. 8Paragraph 8
  161. Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 (c. 38)
  162. 9Paragraph 9
  163. Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (c. 43)
  164. 10Paragraph 10
  165. Zoo Licensing Act 1981 (c. 37)
  166. 11Paragraph 11
  167. Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (c. 14)
  168. 12Paragraph 12
  169. Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 (c. 3)
  170. 13Paragraph 13
  171. Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 (c. 16)
  172. 14Paragraph 14
  173. Schedule 4Repeals