Cruelty to Animals Act 1835
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1835 c. 59 |
(5 & 6 Will. 4) C A P. LIX.
[9th September 1835]
'WHEREAS frequent Accidents arise from improperly driving Cattle, and many and great Cruelties are practised by improperly driving and conveying Cattle to, at, and from public Markets and otherwise, as well as in slaughtering and keeping and detaining the same without Food and Nourishment, to the great and needless Increase of the Sufferings of dumb Animals and to the Demoralization of the People, and whereby the Lives and Property of His Majesty's Subjects are greatly endangered and injured: And whereas it is expedient to reduce into One Act, and to alter, amend, and enlarge the Powers and Provisions of several Acts now in force relating to the cruel and improper Treatment of Cattle, and the Mischiefs arising from the driving thereof, and also to prevent as far as possible the cruel and improper Treatment of Cattle and other Animals, and to make divers Provisions in regard thereto:' Be it therefore enacted by the King'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, That the Act herein-after mentioned, (that is to say,) an Actpassed in the Third Year of the Reign of His late Majesty KingGeorge the Fourth, intituled An Act to prevent the cruel and improper Treatment of Cattle , and so much of an Act passed in the Third Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled An Act for the more effectual Administration of Justice in the Office of a Justice of the Peace in the several Police Offices established in the Metropolis, and for the more effectual Prevention of Depredations on the River Thames and its Vicinity for Three Years , as recites and enacts as follows, (that is to say,) ‘And whereas divers Places in and about the Metropolis are kept and used for the Purpose of fighting or baiting of Bears or other Animals, at which Places idle and disorderly Persons commonly assemble, to the Interruption of good Order and the Danger of the public Peace; be it therefore enacted, that any Person who shall, within Five Miles of Temple Bar , keep or use or shall act in the Management or conducting of any Premises or Place whatsoever for the Purpose of fighting or baiting of Pears, Cock-fighting, baiting or fighting of Badgers or other Animals, shall, on Conviction thereof before any One Justice of the Peace, forfeit any Sum not exceeding Five Pounds, and in default of immediate Payment shall be liable to be imprisoned and kept to hard Labour for any Time not exceeding Two Months, unless the said Penalty shall be sooner paid,’ shall be and the same are hereby severally repealed, and made null and void to all Intents and Purposes, save and except as to any Penalties or Forfeitures incurred and not recovered, and to any Offences or other Matters committed and done before the passing of this Act.
II Any Person wantonly and cruelly beating or otherwise ill-treating any Cattle, &c. or improperly driving the same, whereby any Mischief shall be done, shall, upon Conviction, be fined or committed to Prison.
II. And be it further enacted, That if any Person shall from and after the passing of this Act wantonly and cruelly beat, ill-treat, abuse, or torture any Horse, Mare, Gelding, Bull, Ox, Cow, Heifer, Steer, Calf, Mule, Ass, Sheep, Lamb, Dog, or any other Cattle or domestic Animal, or if any Person who shall drive any Cattle or other Animal shall, by Negligence or ill Usage in the driving thereof, be the Means whereby any Mischief, Damage, or Injury shall be done by any such Cattle or other Animal, every such Offender, being convicted of any or either of the said Offences before any One Justice of the Peace for the City, Town, or County in which any such Offence shall have been committed, shall for every such Offence forfeit and pay (over and above the Amount of the Damage or Injury (if any) done thereby, which Damage or Injury shall and may be ascertained and determined by such Justice) such a Sum of Money, not exceeding Forty Shillings nor less than Five Shillings with Costs, as to such Justice shall seem meet; or the Offender shall, in default of Payment, be committed to the Common Gaol or House of Correction for the City, Town, or County in which such Offence shall have been committed, there to be imprisoned for any Time not exceeding Fourteen Days; provided that nothing in this Act contained shall prevent or abridge any Remedy by Action against the Employer of any such Offender where the Amount of the Damage is not sought to be recovered by virtue of this Act.
III Persons keeping Pits for fighting Dogs or baiting Bears, &c. guilty of a Nuisance, and liable to Penalties.
III. 'And whereas Cruelties are greatly promoted and encouraged by Persons keeping Houses, Rooms, Pits, Grounds, or other Places for the fighting or baiting of Dogs, Bulls, Bears, or other Animals, and for fighting Cocks, and by Persons aiding or assisting therein, and the same are great Nuisances and Annoyances to the Neighbourhood in which they are situate, and tend to demoralize those who frequent such Places;' be it therefore enacted, That from and after the passing of this Act, if any Person shall keep or use any House, Room, Pit, Ground, or other Place for the Purpose of running, baiting, or fighting any Bull, Bear, Badger, Dog, or other Animal (whether of domestic or wild Nature or Kind), or for Cock-fighting, or in which any Bull, Bear, Badger, Dog, or other such Animal shall be baited, run, or fought, every such Person shall be liable to a Penalty not exceeding Five Pounds nor less than Ten Shillings for every Day in which he shall so keep and use such House, Room, Pit, Ground, or Place for any of the Purposes aforesaid: Provided always, that the Personwho shall act as the Manager of any such House, Room, Pit, Ground, or other Place, or who shall receive any Money for the Admission of any Person thereto, or who shall assist in any such baiting or fighting, or Bull-running, shall be deemed and taken to be the Keeper of the same for the Purposes of this Act, and be liable to all such Penalties as are by this Act imposed upon the Person who shall actually keep any such House, Room, Pit, Ground, or other Place for the Purposes aforesaid.
IV Parties impounding Cattle to provide sufficient Food for them.
IV. 'And whereas great Cruelties are practised by reason of keeping and detaining Horses, Asses, and other Cattle and Animals impounded and confined without Food frequently for many Days;' for Remedy whereof, be it enacted, That from and after the passing of this Act every Person who shall impound or confine, or cause to be impounded or confined, any Horse, Ass, or other Cattle or Animal, in any Common Pound, open Pound, or close Pound, or in any inclosed Place, shall and he is hereby required to find, provide, and supply such Horse, Ass, and other Cattle or Animal so impounded or confined, daily with good and sufficient Food and Nourishment for so long a Time as such Horse...
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