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SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1932

SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1932 - LONG TITLE

An Act to provide for the humane and scientific slaughter of
animals; and for purposes connected therewith.
[7th June 1932]
Provisions as to slaughter of animals, etc.

SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1932 - SECT 1

1.(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, an animal shall not
be slaughtered in a slaughter-house or knacker's yard except in
accordance with the provisions of sub-section (2) of this section,
and it shall be the duty of the local authority to enforce the
provisions of this Act within their district.

[(2) Where an animal within the meaning of this Act is to be
slaughtered it shall in accordance with the provisions of this
section

(i)be instantaneously slaughtered; or

(ii)by stunning, be instantaneously rendered insensible to pain until
death supervenes; or

<(iii)by the use of any other humane method approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, be rendered insensible to pain until death supervenes.

(2A) The slaughtering or stunning of an animal as required by
paragraph (i) or paragraph (ii) of sub-section (2) of this section
shall be effected by a person who is at the time the holder of a
licence issued by the local authority under section two of this
Act, and shall be so effected by means of a mechanically-operated
instrument in proper repair and of a type approved by the local
authority.

(2B) The rendering insensible to pain of an animal as required by
paragraph (iii) of sub-section (2) of this section shall be effected
on behalf of a person who is at the time the holder of a permit
issued by the Ministry of Agriculture under this sub-section on
notice to the appropriate local authority and shall be so effected
in accordance with and subject to any directions given by or on
behalf of the Ministry and the Ministry may at any time suspend or
revoke any permit issued by it for the purposes of this
sub-section.]

(3) If any person contravenes or fails to comply with or causes or
permits any contravention or non-compliance with any of the
provisions of this section, or attempts to slaughter an animal in a
slaughter-house or knacker's yard otherwise than in accordance with
the said provisions (where the same apply), he shall be liable on
conviction by a court of summary jurisdiction to a fine not
exceeding [#20] or on a second conviction to a fine not exceeding
[#50] or on a subsequent conviction to imprisonment for a period
not exceeding two months or to a fine not exceeding [#50], or to
both such imprisonment and fine.

SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1932 - SECT 2
Licences.

2.(1) A licence to slaughter or stun animals in accordance with the
provisions of this Act shall not be granted except to a person of
the age of eighteeen years or upwards who is, in the opinion of
the local authority, a fit and proper person to hold such a
licence.

(2) A licence under this section shall be valid only in the
district of the local authority granting the same, and for a period
not exceeding twelve months, and may be renewed from time to time
at the discretion of the local authority.

(3) The local authority may suspend a licence at any time for such
period as they may determine and, where they are satisfied that the
person is no longer a fit and proper person to hold a licence,
may revoke the licence.

(4) Any person aggrieved by the refusal of the local authority to
grant a licence or by the suspension or revocation by the local
authority of a licence may appeal to a court of summary
jurisdiction against such refusal, suspension, or revocation, within
one month of the intimation thereof, and the decision of the court
of summary jurisdiction shall be final.

(5) A fee, not exceeding [25p], may be charged by the local
authority for each such licence, and a fee not exceeding [5p] for
every renewal thereof.

(6) The provisions of this section shall apply to any licence
granted by the local authority for the purpose of the provisions of
this Act with regard to the Jewish and Mohammedan methods of
slaughter.

SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1932 - SECT 3
Employment of slaughtermen by local authority.

3. Any local authority which have provided or established a
slaughter-house may, if they think fit, employ persons to slaughter
or stun animals, in accordance with the provisions of this Act, and
may make such charges as they consider reasonable for the services
of the persons so employed.

SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1932 - SECT 4
Obstruction of officers, etc.

4. Any officer or constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary [an
officer of the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals, being in uniform] and any person authorised in writing by
a local authority may enter any slaughter-house or knacker's yard in
the district of the local authority at any time when business is,
or appears to be, in progress, or is usually carried on therein,
[and any officer of the Ministry of Agriculture duly authorised by
the Ministry in writing may likewise enter any slaughter-house or
knacker's yard], for the purpose of ascertaining whether there is or
has been any contravention of or non-compliance with the provisions
of this Act, and if any person shall refuse to permit any such
officer, constable or person to enter any premises which he is
entitled to enter under this Act, or shall obstruct or impede him
in the exercise of his duties under this Act, he shall be liable,
on conviction by a court of summary jurisdiction to a fine not
exceeding [#20].

SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1932 - SECT 5
Revocation of inconsistent provisions.

5. Any byelaw made by a local authority under any Act, so far as
it is inconsistent with any provision of this Act, shall be
invalid, but without prejudice to the validity of anything done
thereunder before the commencement of this Act.

SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1932 - SECT 6
Saving for Jewish method of slaughter.

6. The provisions of sub-section (2) of section one of this Act
shall not apply where an animal is slaughtered

(a)for the food of Jews by a Jew duly licensed for that purpose
by the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the
British Empire for the time being, or by some person or body of
persons appointed by him in that behalf and holding a licence
granted by the local authority; or

(b)for the food of Mohammedans by a Mohammedan holding a licence
granted by the local authority.

S.7 rep. by SRO (NI) 1973/343

SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1932 - SECT 8
Provisions as to Diseases of Animals Acts.

8. Section one of this Act shall not apply to the slaughter under
the Diseases of Animals Acts, of an animal if such slaughter is
carried out by an officer of or person employed by the Ministry of
Agriculture by means of a mechanically-operated instrument in proper
repair and of a type approved by the Ministry, and section four of
this Act shall not apply in respect of any slaughter-house or
knacker's yard which for the time being is or is in an infected
place within the meaning of the said Acts.

SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1932 - SECT 9
Interpretation.

9. For the purpose of this Act the following expressions have the
meanings hereby respectively assigned to them, that is to say:

"Slaughter-house" means any building, premises or place used in
connection with the business of killing animals for the purpose of
the flesh being used as butcher's meat;

"Knacker's yard" means any building, premises or place used in
connection with the business of killing animals not killed for the
purpose of the flesh being used as butcher's meat;

["Butcher's meat" means the flesh of any animal intended for human
consumption];

"Animal" means any horse, mare, gelding, pony, foal, colt, filly,
stallion, ass, donkey, mule, bull, cow, bullock, heifer, calf, steer,
ox, sheep, ewe, wether, ram, lamb, goat, kid, [pig, boar, hog or
sow];

"Diseases of Animals Acts" means the Diseases of Animals Acts, 1894
to 1922,... and any other enactment including the Administrative
Provisions Act (Northern Ireland), 1926, whereby the Diseases of
Animals Act, 1894, has been extended or amended...;

Definition rep. by SRO (NI) 1973/343

["Local Authority" means a district council];

["Mechanically-operated" includes electrically-operated].

SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1932 - SECT 10
Short title.

10.(1) This Act may be cited as the Slaughter of Animals Act
(Northern Ireland), 1932.

Subs.(2) rep. by SLR (NI) 1952