§ Lord Hardy of Wathasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many convictions were recorded in cases of cruelty to animals in each of the last five years. [HL1836]
§ Lord Williams of MostynInformation on the number of offenders convicted in England and Wales for offences relating to cruelty to animals is given in Table A. Figures are provided in Table B for Scotland on the number of persons with a charge proved where the main offence was cruelty to animals. Available information on the number of convictions relating to animal cruelty in Northern Ireland is given in Table C.
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Table A: Number of offenders convicted for offences relating to cruelty to animals in England and Wales, 1992–1996 Offence legislation 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 Total offences of cruelty to animals 1,195 1,070 883 893 910 Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, Sec 22(3), 23 & 25(3) 5 3 6 1 5 Protection of Animals Act 1911 (as amended) 926 861 731 754 764 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Sec 8 4 2 — 3 1 Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925 — — — — — Protection of Animals (Cruelty to Dogs) Act 1933 27 6 — * * Protection of Animals Act 1934 1 8 3 2 2 Docking & Nicking of Horses Act 1949 — — — — — Pet Animals Act 1951 18 8 12 6 5 Cockfighting Act 1952 — 1 — — — Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1954 26 33 27 17 16 Animal Health Act 1981, Secs 40–42, 46, 49 & Orders under Secs 8, 9, 37, 38, 39 & 43 62 34 26 42 43 Slaughterhouses Act 1974 5 1 3 — 1 Abandonment of Animals Act 1960, Sec 1 54 38 16 13 19 Animals (Cruel Poisons) Act 1962 5 5 1 — —
Table A: Number of offenders convicted for offences relating to cruelty to animals in England and Wales, 1992–1996 Offence legislation 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 5 3 — 3 4 Riding Establishments Acts 1964 & 1970 4 2 — 3 4 Slaughter of Poultry Act 1976 3 2 3 2 5 Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968, Secs 1, 2 & 6 12 34 21 13 16 Protection of Badgers Act 1992 28 22 26 27 19 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Sec 9 5 5 4 — 3 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Sec 11 3 — 3 6 1 Other enactments 2 2 1 1 2 Other associated legislation: Game Law Acts 754 618 569 372 354 Wild Birds Protection Acts 61 75 94 93 184 * Not applicable—repealed by the Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1988. Note:
It is known that the recording on the Home Office court proceedings database of offences where there has been no police involvement such as those instigated by government departments and private organisations and individuals (for the above offences possibly MAFF, DETR and the RSPCA) is incomplete.
Table B: Persons with a charge proved where the main offence was cruelty to animals including killing and maiming cattle1 in Scotland, 1992–1996 Offence 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 Total 127 95 90 83 68 Cruelty to animals (excluding dogs) including killing and maiming cattle 119 95 86 82 63 Cruelty to dogs 8 — 4 1 5 1 The persons in the table were proceeded against under one of the following Statutes: Abandonment of Animals Act 1960, Animals (Cruel Poisons) Act 1962, Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, Cinematography Films (Animals) Act 1937, Common Law, Local Police Acts (referring to cruelty to animals), Performing Animals (Regulations) Act 1925, Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1988, Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Act 1964, Protection of Animals (S) Acts, Protection of Animals Act 1934, Protection of Badgers Act 1992 (S1 (1) and 2" (1)), Slaughter of Animals (S) Acts, Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996 (S1) and Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Table C: Convictions for various animal-related offences in Northern Ireland, 1993–1997 Offence 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Total 42 36 47 34 16 Abandoning animal 1 — — — — Causing unnecessary suffering to animals 14 12 16 8 6 Permitting cruelty of animals 2 1 1 1 — Driving animals on the road 1 1 1 2 — Allowing animals to wander 6 3 9 2 1 Cruelty to animals 15 17 19 17 5 Causing unnecessary suffering to livestock 2 2 1 3 4 Causing unnecessary suffering to animals in transit — — — — — Overcrowding of animals in transit 1 — — 1 —