Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1932 c. 12 |
Destructive Imported Animals Act, 1932.
(22 & 23 Geo. 5.) CHAPTER 12.
An Act to make provision for prohibiting or controlling the importation into and the keeping within Great Britain of destructive non-indigenous animals, for exterminating any such animals which may be at large and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid.
[17th March 1932]
Be it 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, as follows:—
1 Power to prohibit or control the importation or keeping of musk rats.
(1) It shall be lawful for the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Secretary of State for Scotland (in this Act referred to as the ‘Minister’ and ‘the Secretary of State’ respectively), acting jointly, to prohibit by order either absolutely, or except under a licence granted under this Act, the importation into and the keeping within Great Britain of any animal of the species designated Fiber zibethicus or Ondatra zibethica, and commonly known as the musk rat, or musquash.
An order made under this subsection may prohibit absolutely the importation of musk rats notwithstanding that the keeping of them is not prohibited absolutely.
(2) Every order made under the preceding subsection shall, so soon as may be after it is made, be laid before each House of Parliament and if either House of Parliament within the next subsequent twenty-eight days on which that House has sat after any such order has been laid before it, resolves that the order shall be annulled, the order shall thenceforth be void, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder or to the making of a new order.
2 Power to make regulations and prescribe form of licences.
2. For the purpose of enabling effect to be given to orders made under the last preceding section, the Minister and the Secretary of State, acting jointly, may—
3 Grant and revocation of licences.
3. The appropriate department may at their discretion—
4 Power of inspection.
4. While an order under section one of this Act is in force, any officer of, or person duly authorised by, the appropriate department shall at all reasonable times be permitted, on production of his authority if so required, to enter and inspect any land occupied by a person holding a licence under this Act and any other land upon which he has reason to believe that musk rats are being kept or may be found.
5 Provisions as to musk rats found at large.
(1) The following provisions of this section shall have effect with respect to musk rats found at large at any time while an order under section one of this Act is in force.
(2) The occupier of any land who knows that musk rats, not being musk rats kept by him under a licence, are to be found thereon shall forthwith give notice to the appropriate department.
(3) The appropriate department so soon as they become aware that musk rats, not being musk rats kept under a licence, are to be found on any land, may take such steps as they consider necessary for their destruction, and it shall be the duty of the occupier of the land to afford all such facilities as it is in his power to afford to any persons employed by, or on behalf of, the department for that purpose.
(4) The appropriate department may, in the case of England, authorise the agricultural committee of the council of any county to exercise within that county on behalf and at the expense of the department the powers of the department under the last preceding subsection.
(5) No action for damages shall lie in respect of the killing or wounding of any musk rat which is found at large.
6 Offences, &c.
(1) Any person who—
(a ) at a time when the importation of musk rats is prohibited absolutely, imports, or attempts to import, any musk rat into Great Britain, or at a time when such importation is prohibited except under a licence, imports or attempts...
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