- Enforced by
- Trading Standards, APHA, DEFRA
- Status
- Amended (in force with amendments)
- Penalty ceiling
- Imprisonment 13 of 20 obligations carry imprisonment (51 weeks). 5 carry different penalties and 2 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Does it bind you?
Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.
Any Person16
Occupier1
Director or Officer1
Plus 2 duties on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.
Other Acts binding the same actors
If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.
Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts
Human Medicines Regulations 2012
184 duties
Merchant Shipping Act 1995
144 duties
Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016
104 duties
Communications Act 2003
92 duties
Road Traffic Act 1988
92 duties
Occupier — also bound by 235 other Acts
Highways Act 1980
23 duties
Director or Officer — also bound by 429 other Acts
Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016
162 duties
Companies Act 2006
126 duties
Insolvency Act 1986
77 duties
Building Societies Act 1986
32 duties
What it requires
Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.
s.004
Unnecessary suffering (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Cause unnecessary suffering to a protected animalAny Person
s.005
Mutilation (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Carry out or permit prohibited mutilation of an animalAny Person
s.006
Docking of dogs' tails (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Unlawful docking of dogs' tailsAny Person
s.007
Administration of poisons etc. (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Give or allow poisonous substances to be administered to protected animalsAny Person
s.008
Fighting etc. (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Participate in or facilitate animal fightingAny Person
s.009
Duty of person responsible for animal to ensure welfare (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Fail to meet animal welfare dutiesAny Person
s.011
Transfer of animals by way of sale or prize to persons under 16 (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Sell or prize an animal to someone under 16Any Person
s.012
Regulations to promote welfare (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Breach of animal welfare regulationsAny Person
s.013
Licensing or registration of activities involving animals (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Carry out animal activity without a required licence or registrationAny Person
s.018
Powers in relation to animals in distress (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Intentionally obstruct an inspector exercising animal‑welfare powersAny Person
s.020
Orders in relation to animals taken under section 18(5) (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Obstruct enforcement of animal welfare ordersAny Person
s.034
Disqualification (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Breach animal disqualification orderAny Person
s.046
Effect in Scotland of disqualification under section 34 (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Breach a disqualification order under the Animal Welfare ActAny Person
s.050
Deprivation orders, seizure orders and interim orders: offences (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Sell animal under suspended deprivation order or obstruct animal orderAny Person
s.056
Obtaining of documents in connection with carrying out orders etc. (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Fail to provide documents to animal‑welfare authorityAny Person
s.057
Offences by bodies corporate (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Corporate and officer liability for animal welfare offencesDirector or Officer
s.060
Crown application (opens in a new tab)
Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Crown employees must comply with animal welfare lawsCrown / Minister / Government department
52 other provisions — procedural and definitional
Schedules
Schedules
3 of 53 shown
s.001
Regulations under section 13 (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Licensing authorities must inspect premises before granting an animal activity licenceLocal authority
s.002
Powers of entry, inspection and search: supplementary (opens in a new tab)
Regulated
- Cooperate with animal‑welfare inspectors during warrant searchesOccupier
s.sch003
Minor and consequential amendments (opens in a new tab)
Imprisonment
- Breach of animal disqualification order in ScotlandAny Person
50 other schedules
s.sch001
This Part has effect in relation to regulations under section...
s.sch001
Regulations may, in particular, make provision for appeals in relation...
s.sch001
Regulations may include provision for fees or other charges in...
s.sch001
This Part has effect in relation to regulations under section...
s.sch001
Regulations shall provide for the registering authority to be—
s.sch001
Where the registering authority is a local authority, regulations may...
s.sch001
Regulations may, in particular— (a) require a registering authority not...
s.sch001
Regulations may, in particular, make provision for appeals in relation...
s.sch001
Regulations may include provision for fees or other charges in...
s.sch001
Power to make regulations under section 13(7) includes power—
s.sch001
(1) Power to make regulations under section 13 includes power...
s.sch001
Regulations shall provide for the licensing authority to be—
s.sch001
Where the licensing authority is a local authority, regulations may...
s.sch001
Regulations may, in particular— (a) make provision about the period...
s.sch001
Regulations may not provide for licences to be granted for...
s.sch001
Regulations may, in particular— (a) require a licensing authority not...
s.sch001
Regulations shall make provision requiring a licensing authority not to...
s.sch001
(1) Regulations may, in particular, make provision for the grant...
s.sch001
(1) Regulations may provide for breach of a condition of...
s.sch002
(1) Sections 15 and 16 of the Police and Criminal...
s.sch002
(1) This paragraph applies to— (a) a power of inspection...
s.sch002
A person who takes a sample from an animal pursuant...
s.sch002
(1) Paragraph 10(2)(j) does not include power to seize an...
s.sch002
As soon as reasonably practicable after having exercised a power...
s.sch002
(1) A person exercising a power of search conferred by...
s.sch002
(1) Where a person enters premises in exercise of a...
s.sch002
A person commits an offence if he—
s.sch002
(1) This paragraph and paragraph 3 have effect in relation...
s.sch002
(1) A warrant may be executed by any inspector.
s.sch002
(1) This paragraph applies to a power of entry conferred...
s.sch002
In exercising a power to which paragraph 4 applies, a...
s.sch002
Entry under a power to which paragraph 4 applies shall...
s.sch002
(1) This paragraph applies to a power of entry conferred...
s.sch002
In exercising a power to which paragraph 7 applies, a...
s.sch002
If, in the exercise of a power of entry to...
s.sch003
In section 4 of the Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925...
s.sch003
In section 108 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (right...
s.sch003
In section 4 of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 (grant...
s.sch003
(1) In section 22(5) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act...
s.sch003
For section 3 of the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996...
s.sch003
(1) In section 57 of the Criminal Justice and Police...
s.sch003
In section 1 of the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937...
s.sch003
(1) Section 2 of the Pet Animals Act 1951 (pets...
s.sch003
(1) In the Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1954, after...
s.sch003
(1) In section 1 of the Animal Boarding Establishments Act...
s.sch003
(1) In section 1 of the Riding Establishments Act 1964...
s.sch003
In section 1 of the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973...
s.sch003
In section 3 of the Guard Dogs Act 1975 (guard...
s.sch003
In section 6 of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976...
Help complying
Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.
Becoming a livestock keeper: complete compliance guide
Comprehensive guide to livestock keeping compliance - from getting a CPH number to meeting welfare requirements. Covers cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats.
What regulations apply to my farm?
A quick decision-tree navigator that helps you identify which regulations apply to your specific farm based on what you keep, grow, and …
Farmer compliance checklist
A comprehensive compliance checklist for UK farmers covering livestock, environmental, animal welfare, health and safety, financial, and scheme obligations. Includes frequency of …
Diversify your farm business
Explore farm diversification opportunities - farm shops, holiday accommodation, renewable energy, equestrian facilities, event spaces, and rural business units
Meet pig welfare requirements on your farm
Legal requirements for pig welfare in England. Covers the five welfare needs, space requirements, environmental enrichment, permitted procedures, housing standards, transport, slaughter, …
Meet poultry welfare requirements
Legal requirements for keeping poultry in the UK, including the five welfare needs, stocking densities, lighting, litter management, environmental enrichment, beak trimming …
6 more guides that reference this instrument
Connected legislation
Instruments made under this Act. They carry the detail the Act delegates.
Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.