ANIMAL WELFARE ACT 2002 - SECT 47

ANIMAL WELFARE ACT 2002 - SECT 47

47 .         Other powers of inspectors

        (1)         Subject to sections 38, 39, 42 and 43, for the purposes of this Act an inspector may —

            (a)         search a place or vehicle; and

            (b)         examine and take samples from an animal, place, vehicle or thing; and

            (c)         take an animal to a place, or put an animal in a vehicle, for the purpose of performing the inspector’s functions in relation to it; and

            (d)         direct a person to take an animal to a specified place, or to put it in a specified vehicle, within a specified time; and

            (e)         direct a person not to remove an animal from a specified place or vehicle for a specified period; and

            (f)         take photographs, video recordings or other recordings of an animal, place, vehicle or thing; and

            (g)         take measurements or recordings of any sort; and

            (h)         if the inspector reasonably suspects that there is, in a container, an animal or thing that may afford evidence of the commission of an offence under this Act —

                  (i)         require the person apparently in charge of it to open the container; or

                  (ii)         if that person is not available to do so, or fails to do so, use reasonable force to break open the container;

                and

                  (i)         examine, take extracts from or copy (and if necessary remove for the purpose of taking extracts or making copies) a record; and

            (j)         give any directions to a person in control of an animal that the inspector considers are necessary to protect the welfare, safety and health of the animal; and

            (k)         conduct examinations, and make inquiries, that the inspector considers are necessary to check whether this Act is being complied with or to investigate a suspected offence; and

            (l)         request a person to assist the inspector in performing the inspector’s functions.

        (2)         An inspector exercising, or proposing to exercise, a power under this section must, if asked by a person who is or will be affected by the exercise of the power, explain why the inspector is exercising the power.

        (3)         A person must comply with a requirement or direction made under subsection (1)(a) to (j).

        Penalty: $20 000 and imprisonment for one year.

        (4)         In subsection (1)(i) —

        record includes a document, tape, disc or other device or medium on which data is recorded or stored mechanically, photographically, electronically or otherwise.