{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/welfare-of-animals-act-northern-ireland-2011/section-31",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/welfare-of-animals-act-northern-ireland-2011/section-31.json",
  "legislation": "nia/2011/16",
  "legislation_title": "Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/welfare-of-animals-act-northern-ireland-2011",
  "path": "section/31",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "31",
  "heading": "Penalties",
  "text": "(1) A person guilty of an offence under any of sections 6(10) and (12), ..., 9, 10(6), 12(6), 14, 15, 17(12), 19(7), ..., ... and 50(3) or paragraph 17 of Schedule 3 or any regulations made under section 11, 12(7) or 13, where breach of those regulations is an offence, shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or both.\n(1A) A person guilty of an offence under section 4 or 8(1) or (2) shall be liable—\n(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to a fine not exceeding £20,000, or both;\n(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years, or to a fine, or both.\n(2) A person guilty of an offence under any of sections ..., 5, 6(1), (2), (11) and (15), 7 , 8(3), 33(9) and 40(7) shall be liable—\n(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or both;\n(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years , or to a fine, or both.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 31(1) omitted (1.8.2016) by virtue of Justice Act (NorthernIreland) 2016 (c. 21), ss. 48(1), 61(2); S.R. 2016/248, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "S. 31(1A) inserted (1.8.2016) by Justice Act (NorthernIreland) 2016 (c. 21), ss. 48(2), 61(2); S.R. 2016/248, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Word in s. 31(2) omitted (1.8.2016) by virtue of Justice Act (NorthernIreland) 2016 (c. 21), ss. 48(3)(a), 61(2); S.R. 2016/248, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 31(2) substituted (1.8.2016) by Justice Act (NorthernIreland) 2016 (c. 21), ss. 48(3)(b), 61(2); S.R. 2016/248, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 31(2)(b) substituted (1.8.2016) by Justice Act (NorthernIreland) 2016 (c. 21), ss. 48(4), 61(2); S.R. 2016/248, art. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2011/16/section/31",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T20:20:48.924782+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}