New South Wales Consolidated Acts

PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS ACT 1979 - SECT 24H

24H Powers of police officers to detain vehicle or vessel

(1) If a police officer suspects on reasonable grounds that a vehicle or vessel contains an animal in respect of which an offence against section 5, 6, 7 or 8 has been or is being committed and that the animal is in distress the police officer may:

(a) stop the vehicle or vessel, and

(b) enter the vehicle or vessel, and

(c) enter any land for the purpose of entering the vehicle or vessel, and

(d) examine the animal.

(2) For the purpose of entering the vehicle or vessel or examining the animal concerned, the police officer may direct the person operating the vehicle or vessel to do any or all of the following:

(a) to manoeuvre the vehicle or vessel in a specified manner or to a specified place (including a place that is appropriate for examining the animal concerned),

(b) to park or secure the vehicle or vessel in a specified manner,

(c) to remain in control of the vehicle or vessel while the police officer is exercising his or her functions.

(3) A person must not fail to comply with a direction given to the person under this section.

Maximum penalty: 25 penalty units.

(4) A direction under this section to stop a vehicle or vessel must be made in a manner prescribed by the regulations by a police officer who is identified in a manner so prescribed.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (1), an animal is in distress if it is suffering from exposure to the elements, debility, exhaustion or significant physical injury.