Animals (Penalty Notices) Act 2022

1 Powers of enforcement authorities

(1) Where an enforcement authority for a relevant offence is satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that a person has committed the offence in England, the authority may issue a fixed penalty notice under this section to the person.

(2) In this Act “relevant offence” means an offence within subsection (3) that is specified by regulations made by the Secretary of State.

(3) The offences within this subsection are—

(a) an offence under regulations made under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 which the Secretary of State considers relates to animals or animal products;

(b) an offence under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976;

(c) an offence under section 19 of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981;

(d) an offence under the Animal Health Act 1981;

(e) an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 or under regulations made under section 12 or 13 of that Act;

(f) an offence under the Wild Animals in Circuses Act 2019.

(4) In this Act an “enforcement authority”, for a relevant offence, is a person who is specified in relation to the offence by regulations made by the Secretary of State (and the regulations may specify more than one person in relation to any relevant offence).

(5) The persons who may be specified by regulations under subsection (4) are—

(a) the Secretary of State,

(b) a local authority, or

(c) any other person that the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(6) A fixed penalty notice issued under this section may be withdrawn at any time by the authority that issued it.