S.I. No. 263/2003 - Protection of Animals Kept For Farming Purposes Act 1984 (Bovine Animals) (Prohibition on Tail Docking) Regulations 2003

I, Joe Walsh, Minister for Agriculture and Food, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 3 of the Protection of Animals Kept For Farming Purposes Act 1984 (No. 13 of 1984) (as adapted by the Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002 ( S.I. No. 306 of 2002 )), hereby make the following regulations

1.(1)    These Regulations may be cited as the Protection of Animals Kept For Farming Purposes Act 1984 (Bovine Animals) (Prohibition on Tail Docking Regulations 2003.

(2)   In these Regulations, “registered veterinary surgeon” means a person entered on the register maintained under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1931 (No. 36 of 1931).

(3)   A reference to a Regulation is to a Regulation of these Regulations and a reference to a paragraph is a reference to the provision in which the reference occurs.

2.(1)    A person shall not remove or mutilate or cause or permit another person to remove or mutilate the tail or part of the tail of a bovine animal.

(2)   A person shall not have in his or her possession or under his or her control sell or supply a bovine animal if the tail or part of the tail of the animal has been removed or mutilated in contravention of paragraph (1).

3.        Regulation 2 shall not apply to the removal of the tail of a bovine animal

(a)       under and in accordance with a licence granted under section 8 of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 (39 & 40 Vict. c . 77), or

(b)       after administration of an anaesthetic, by a registered veterinary surgeon where, in his or her opinion, it is necessary for the proper treatment of disease or injury in a single animal.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)

These Regulations prohibit tail docking of bovine animals except in limited circumstances.