{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/welfare-of-animals-transport-order-1997/article-7",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/welfare-of-animals-transport-order-1997/article-7.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1997/1480",
  "legislation_title": "The Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/welfare-of-animals-transport-order-1997",
  "path": "article/7",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "7",
  "heading": "Treatment of sick animals",
  "text": "(1) Where animals fall ill or are injured during transport, the person in charge of the animals shall ensure that they receive first-aid treatment as soon as possible, that they are given appropriate veterinary treatment and if necessary are slaughtered in a way which does not involve unnecessary suffering.\n(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), where an animal which is being transported by sea or air falls ill or is injured during the journey, the master of the vessel or the commander of the aircraft shall, if he considers it necessary having regard to the availability of appropriate veterinary treatment or of landing the animal without causing it unnecessary suffering, cause it to be slaughtered in a way which does not involve unnecessary suffering.\n(3) Subject to the provisions of section 46 of the Animal Health Act 1981 (which provides for the slaughter of injured horses), the requirements of paragraph (2) shall not apply in relation to horses.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/1480/article/7",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T12:07:16.167162+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."
}