§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Home Secretary whether any and, if so, what provision is made by administrative action for supplying humane killers to police constable who are called upon to slaughter dogs and other animals which have been mortally injured in street accidents, or are in such a condition that it is cruel to keep them alive?
492WPoor Law relief in the parishes of Devonport and Plymouth on the last Saturday in the months of July, August and September, 1929, and on the 19th October, 1929, the latest date for which figures are available:
§ Mr. CLYNESThere is no general arrangement for the provision of humane killers to police for this purpose. In some cases the police may be able to make use of humane killers obtained from a police station or elsewhere or to obtain the services of a veterinary surgeon but in others their only course will be to have the animal slaughtered in the most humane way possible in the particular circumstances of the case.
§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that in the Protection of Animals Act, 1911, no pro vision is made for the humane slaughter of dogs which have been mortally injured or are in such a condition that it is cruel to keep them alive, or of any animal other than the horse as defined by the Act; and whether he will consider the desirability of introducing legislation to amend this defect?
§ Mr. CLYNESI presume the hon. Member is referring to section 11 of the Act, which deals with cases where it is not possible to remove an injured animal without cruelty. The application of the section is not limited to horses but it is the case that dogs are not covered, and I am not aware that on practical grounds any amendment of the law is called for.