PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS ACT

PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS ACT

Subject : Legislations

Context : The Centre’s Animal Husbandry department has suggested adding to the 1960 legislation a stringent new section that addresses the killing of animals and “gruesome cruelty” towards them.

Concept :

About the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act:

• It prohibits any person from inflicting, causing, or if it is the owner, permitting, unnecessary pain or suffering to be inflicted on any animal.
• It provides for punishment for causing unnecessary cruelty and suffering to animals.
• Section 2 of the act defines animals and types of animals like domestic or captive animals.
• Section 4 provides for Welfare Board of India (WBI), a statutory advisory body for animal welfare and protection of animals from unnecessary suffering and pain. Late Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale, well known humanitarian and Bharatnatyam exponent led it since its foundation for almost 20 years.
• It mentions forms of cruelty, exceptions, and killing of a suffering animal in case any cruelty has been committed against it, so as to relieve it from further suffering.
• Provides the guidelines relating to experimentation on animals for scientific purposes.
• An animal cannot be exhibited or trained by any person, if:

Such a person is unregistered as per the provisions of this chapter;

Such an animal has been barred from being included in any performance by the Central Government through a notification in the Official Gazette.