PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
(TRANSPORT OF ANIMALS ON FOOT) RULES, 2001
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 26th March, 2001
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-sections (1) and (2) of section 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (59 of 1960), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely:
1. Short title and commencement :
(1) These rules may be called the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Transport of Animals on Foot) Rules, 2001
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. Definitions: In these rules unless the context otherwise requires -
a. animal means livestock and includes the following animals namely-
(i) cattle including cow, bulls and bullocks, buffalo bulls and bullocks, cows, buffaloes, Mithuns, yaks and calves.
(ii) equines includings horses, ponies, mules and donkeys.
(iii) horse including entires (stallions), goldings, brood mares, colts and fillies
(iv) goat including adult goat, male or female of two years age and above.
(v) buck including male goat
(vi) kid young goat below one year of age.
(vii) nanny female goat
(viii) sheep including adult sheep, male or female of two years age and above
(ix) ewe female sheep
(x) lamb young sheep below one year of age
(xi) ram male sheep
(xii) wether includes male lamb that has been castrated before reaching sexual maturity
(xiii) pig includes adult pig, male or female of one year of age or above
(xiv) piglet includes young pig below one year of age.
b. veterinary doctor. means a person registered with the Veterinary Council of India established under the Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984 (52 of 1984)
c. Schedule. means a schedule appended to these rules.
3. Application of the rules - These rules shall apply to transport of animals on foot when the distance from the boundary of village or town or city of the origin of such transport to the last destination is 5 km or more than 5 km.
4. Condition of health of animals transported on foot-
(1) Every animal to be transported on foot shall be healthy and in good condition for such transport.
(2) A certificate of a veterinary doctor in respect of each animal to be transported to the effect that such animal is in a fit condition for such transportation and is not suffering from any infectious, contagious or parasitic diseases and that it has been vaccinated against any infectious, contagious or parasitic diseases shall accompany such animal.
(3) The certificate under sub rule (1) shall be in the form as specified in the First Schedule.
5. Certain animals not to transport on foot - New born animals of which the navel has not completely healed, diseased, blind, emaciated, lame, fatigued, or having given birth during the preceding seventy two hours or likely to give birth during transport shall not be transported on foot.
6. Transport in on-farm social group - Animal shall be transported in their on farm social groups (established at least one week prior to journey).
7. First aid equipment to accompany animals transported on foot - The owner of the animals shall provide veterinary first aid equipment to be accompanied with such animals while transported on foot.
8. Certificate to be carried during transportation - In case the person transporting the animals on foot is not the owner of the animal then such person shall carry a certificate as specified in the Second Schedule during such transportation.
9. Watering arrangement during transportation of animals - The owner of the animals shall make watering arrangement in route during transport of such animals on foot.
10. Feed and fodder arrangements during transportation of animals-Sufficient feed and fodder with adequate reserve of such feed and fodder for the animals shall be made available by their owner during their transport on foot.
11. Prohibition of the use of whip, etc during transportation of animals on foot -
(1) No person shall use a whip or a stick in order to force the animal to walk or to hasten the pace of their walk nor such person shall apply chillies or any other substance to any part of the body of the animal for this purpose during their transportation on foot.
(2) If any animal needs to be tied during transport on foot, it shall be tied by a rope covered with suitable cushioning such as cloth around its leg and such animal shall not be tied by its nose, all legs or any other part of the body except by its neck.
(3) If more than one animal is to be tied adjacent to one another by a single rope during their transport on foot, the space between any two of such animals shall be minimum two feet and animals so tied shall be of similar physical condition and strength and no more than two such animals shall be tied adjacent to each other by a single rope.
12.Certain Prohibition on transport of animals on foot
(1) No person shall transport on foot an animal before sunrise or after sunset.
(2) No animal shall be transported on foot beyond the distance, time, rest interval and temperature specified for such animal in the Table below, namely :-
(3) No animal shall be made to walk under conditions of heavy rain, thunderstorms or extremely dry or
sultry conditions during its transport on foot.
13.Transportation of animals in certain cases not permitted without shoes - Animals whose hooves are not provided with shoes (as in the case of pack or draught animals) shall not be transported on foot on hard cement, bitumen-coated or metalled roads, steep gradients or hilly and rocky terrain, irrespective of weather conditions (summer or winter)
14.Power of Police to require the owner to take animal to nearest Magistrate -
(1) If any police officer above the rank of constable or any other person authorised in this behalf by the Central or state Government or by the Animal Welfare Board of India by the general or special order, has reason to believe that an offence has been or is being committed in respect of an animal in contravention of these rules, he may require the owner or other person in charges of such animal to take the animal to the nearest magistrate.
(2)If the owner or the person in charge of the animals referred to in sub rule (1) refuses to comply with the demands of the police officer under that sub rule, it shall be lawful for such police officer or suchother persons to take the animal to the nearest magistrate.