2.—(1) Subject to section 5 of this Act, it shall be unlawful for any person to

( a ) keep a dog unless he holds either—

(i) a dog licence for that dog, or

(ii) a general dog licence, or

( b ) take possession, unless he is the holder of a general dog licence, of a dog, pursuant to a change of ownership, before the issue of a dog licence in respect of that dog, or

( c ) transfer possession of a dog pursuant to a change of ownership to any other person unless the other person is the holder of a dog licence for that dog or a general dog licence.

(2) The occupier of any premises where a dog is found shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed to be the person who keeps the dog unless he proves that—

( a ) he is not the owner of the dog, and

( b ) the dog was kept on the premises either—

(i) without his knowledge, or

(ii) by some other person who had a licence for the dog.