Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972

12 Interpretation of Part II. N.I.

(1) In this Part—

• “animal”, in relation to a petshop or zoological establishment, includes any description of vertebrate; in relation to an animal boarding establishment, means any cat or dog; and in relation to a riding establishment, means a horse;[F1 and “wild animal” means an animal not normally domesticated in Northern Ireland;]

• “animal boarding establishment” means any premises at which the business of providing accommodation for other people's cats or dogs in return for payment is carried on, other than accommodation so provided in connection with a business of which the provision of such accommodation is not the main activity;

• [F1 “livery establishment” means any premises where horses are kept in return for payment, being premises which are not a riding establishment;]

• [F2 “petshop” means any premises,F1 . . . where animals are kept primarily for the purpose of sale as pets but does not include any premises where only pedigree animals (that is to say, animals which by their breeding are eligible for registration with a recognised club or society) are bred and sold,]

• “riding establishment” means any premises where horses are kept for the purpose of their being let out on hire for riding or their being used in providing, in return for payment, instruction in riding;

• “zoological establishment” means any premises where[F1 wild] animals are permanently kept primarily for the purpose of exhibition to the public.

(2) For the purposes of this Part a riding establishment shall be deemed to be kept at the premises where the horses employed for the purposes of the business concerned are kept.

F1 1994 NI 6

F2 1984 NI 2