New South Wales Consolidated Acts

PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS ACT 1979 - SECT 8

8 Animals to be provided with food, drink or shelter

(1) A person in charge of an animal shall not fail to provide the animal with food, drink or shelter, or any of them, which, in each case, is proper and sufficient and which it is reasonably practicable in the circumstances for the person to provide.

Maximum penalty: 250 penalty units in the case of a corporation and 50 penalty units or imprisonment for 6 months, or both, in the case of an individual.

(2) In any proceedings for an offence against subsection (1), evidence that an animal was not provided with clean water during a period of 24 hours is evidence that the person accused of the offence has failed to provide the animal with proper and sufficient drink during that period.

(3) In any proceedings for an offence against subsection (1), evidence that an animal was not provided with food or shelter during a period of 24 hours (or, in the case of an animal of a class prescribed by the regulations, during the period prescribed for that class of animal) is evidence that the person accused of the offence has failed to provide the animal with proper and sufficient food or shelter during that period.

(4) Before commencing proceedings for an offence against subsection (1) in respect of a stock animal depastured on rateable land (within the meaning of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998 ), the prosecution must obtain advice from a livestock health and pest authority and the Department of Agriculture about the state of the animal (if practicable) and the appropriate care for it.

(5) The prosecution may, with leave of the court granted in such circumstances as the court considers just, commence or continue proceedings for an offence against subsection (1), despite having failed to comply with subsection (4).