(b) kills or
seriously injures or causes prolonged suffering to the animal,
is guilty of an
offence.
: Maximum penalty--Imprisonment for 3 years.
(2) A person is not
criminally responsible for an offence against this section if--
(a) the
conduct occurred in accordance with an authority conferred by or under the
Animal Research Act 1985 or any other Act or law, or
(b) the conduct
occurred in the course of or for the purposes of routine agricultural or
animal husbandry activities, recognised religious practices, the extermination
of pest animals or veterinary practice.
(3) In this section--
"animal" means a mammal (other than a human being), a bird or a reptile.
Note : Sections 97- 99 of the
Greyhound Racing Act 2017 enable the court that convicts a person of an
offence under this section in connection with the trialling or training of
greyhounds to make certain orders requiring the animal to be destroyed,
requiring payment of the costs of destroying or taking other action in respect
of the animal and prohibiting the person from keeping any animal.