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Statutes of Northern Ireland


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URL: http://www.bailii.org/nie/legis/num_act/da190662.txt

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DOGS ACT 1906

DOGS ACT 1906 - LONG TITLE

An Act to consolidate and amend the Enactments relating to injury
to live stock by Dogs, and otherwise to amend the Law relating to
Dogs.
[4th August 1906]
Liability of owner of dog which injures or chases sheep or cattle.

DOGS ACT 1906 - SECT 1

1.Subs.(1)(3) rep. by 1976 NI13 art.14 sch.

[(4) Where it appears to a court of summary jurisdiction that a
dog has caused injury to sheep, the court shall make an order
under section 2 of the Dogs Act 1871 directing the dog to be
destroyed.

(5) Where it appears to a court of summary jurisdiction that a dog
has chased, but not caused injury to sheep, the court may make an
order under section 2 of the said Act of 1871 directing the dog
to be kept under proper control so, however, that where the dog
chased the sheep in such a way as might reasonably have been
expected to cause them injury or suffering or to result in
financial loss to the owner of the sheep the court may make an
order under that section directing the dog to be destroyed.

(6) Where it appears to a court of summary jurisdiction that a dog
has chased, or caused injury to, cattle (other than sheep) the
court may make an order under section 2 of the said Act of 1871
directing the dog to be kept under proper control or to be
destroyed.

(7) In this section "injury" includes injury resulting in death.]

S.2 rep. by 1958 c.13 (NI) s.54 sch.5

DOGS ACT 1906 - SECT 3
Seizure of stray dogs.

3.(1) Where a police officer has reason to believe that any dog
... is a stray dog, he may seize the dog and may detain it until
the owner has claimed it and paid all expenses incurred by reason
of its detention.

(2) Where any dog so seized wears a collar having inscribed thereon
or attached thereto the address of any person, or the owner of the
dog is known, the chief officer of police, or any person authorised
by him in that behalf, shall serve on the person whose address is
given on the collar, or on the owner, a notice in writing stating
that the dog has been so seized, and will be liable to be sold
or destroyed if not claimed within seven clear days after the
service of the notice.

(3) A notice under this section may be served either

(a)by delivering it to the person on whom it is to be served; or

(b)by leaving it at that person's usual or last known place of
abode, or at the address given on the collar; or

(c)by forwarding it by post in a prepaid letter addressed to that
person at his usual or last known place of abode, or at the
address given on the collar.

(4) Where any dog so seized has been detained for seven clear days
after the seizure, or, in the case of such a notice as aforesaid
having been served with respect to the dog, then for seven clear
days after the service of the notice, and the owner has not
claimed the dog and paid all expenses incurred by reason of its
detention, the chief officer of police, or any person authorised by
him in that behalf, may cause the dog to be sold or destroyed in
a manner to cause as little pain as possible.

(5) No dog so seized shall be given or sold for the purposes of
vivisection.

(6) The chief officer of police of a police area shall keep, or
cause to be kept, one or more registers of all dogs seized under
this section in that area which are not transferred to an
establishment for the reception of stray dogs. The register shall
contain a brief description of the dog, the date of seizure, and
particulars as to the manner in which the dog is disposed of, and
every such register shall be open to inspection at all reasonable
times by any member of the public on payment of a fee of [5p].

(7) The police shall not dispose of any dog seized under this
section by transferring it to an establishment for the reception of
stray dogs unless a register is kept for that establishment
containing such particulars as to dogs received in the establishment
as are above mentioned, and such register is open to inspection by
the public on payment of a fee not exceeding [5p].

(8) The police officer or other person having charge of any dog
detained under this section shall cause the dog to be properly fed
and maintained.

Subs.(9) rep. by 1954 c.9 (NI) s.29 sch.7

DOGS ACT 1906 - SECT 4
Notice to police of finding of stray dog.

4. Any person who takes possession of a stray dog shall forthwith
either return the dog to its owner or give notice in writing to
the chief officer of police of the district where the dog was
found containing a description of the dog and stating the place
where the dog was found and the place where the dog is being
detained, and any person failing to comply with the provisions of
this section shall be liable, on conviction under the Summary
Jurisdiction Acts, to a fine not exceeding [#2].

DOGS ACT 1906 - SECT 6
Burying of carcases.

6. Any person who shall knowingly and without reasonable excuse
permit the carcase of any head of cattle belonging to him to
remain unburied in a field or other place to which dogs can gain
access shall be liable on conviction under the Summary Jurisdiction
Acts to a fine not exceeding [#20].

DOGS ACT 1906 - SECT 7
Definition of cattle.

7. In this Act the expression "cattle" includes horses, mules,
asses, sheep, goats, and swine.

DOGS ACT 1906 - SECT 9
Application of Act to Ireland.

9. This Act shall apply to Ireland with the following modifications:

Para.(a) rep. by SL(R) 1976

(b)The expressions "chief officer of police" and "police area" shall
mean. ... the district inspector of the Royal Irish Constabulary,
and the district over which he is appointed:

Para.(c) rep. by 1954 c.9 (NI) s.29 sch.7

Short title.

DOGS ACT 1906 - SECT 11

11. This Act may be cited as the Dogs Act, 1906 .....

Schedule rep. by SLR 1927


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URL: http://www.bailii.org/nie/legis/num_act/da190662.txt