Special powers to protect animal welfare
45 Special powers to protect animal welfare
An authorised officer may examine an animal and its living conditions and if the authorised officer suspects on reasonable grounds that the animal is experiencing or will imminently experience unnecessary harm, pain or distress—
the officer may do 1 or more of the following:
provide treatment and care to the animal;
cause the living conditions of the animal to be modified; or
if the authorised officer suspects on reasonable grounds that no action can reasonably be taken under paragraph (a) or that any such action will not be effective to alleviate the animal's harm, pain or distress, the officer may seize the animal;
or
if the authorised officer suspects on reasonable grounds that no action can reasonably be taken under paragraph (a) or (b) or that any such action will not be effective to alleviate the animal's harm, pain or distress, the officer may destroy or arrange for the destruction of the animal (in accordance with any directions of the Minister).
An authorised officer who takes action under this section in good faith does not incur any civil or criminal liability for taking that action.
This Act’s bill:Second reading speech
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