Dogs Act 1906
1906 CHAPTER 32
An Act to consolidate and amend the Enactments relating to injury to live stock by Dogs, and otherwise to amend the Law relating to Dogs
[4th August 1906]
1 Liability of owner of dog for injury to cattle
(1)–(3)   . . .
(4)   Where a dog is proved to have injured cattle [or poultry] or chased sheep, it may be dealt with under section two of the Dogs Act 1871, as a dangerous dog.
NOTES
Initial Commencement
  Specified date
Specified date: 1 January 1907.
Amendment
Repealed, in relation to Northern Ireland, by the Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, SI 1983/764, art 56(2), Sch 2.
Sub-ss (1)–(3): repealed by the Animals Act 1971, s 13(2).
Sub-s (4): words in square brackets substituted by the Dogs (Amendment) Act 1928, s 1.
2 . . .
. . .
NOTES
Amendment
Repealed by the Diseases of Animals Act 1950, ss 89, 91(2), Sch 5.
3 Seizure of stray dogs
(1)   Where a police officer [ . . . ] has reason to believe that any dog found in a highway or place of public resort [or on any other land or premises] is a stray dog, he may seize the dog and may detain it until the owner has claimed it and paid all expenses incurred by reason of its detention.
[(1A)   The powers under subsection (1) of this section shall not be exercised in relation to a dog found on any land or premises other than a highway or place of public resort unless the owner or occupier of the land or premises has consented to such exercise.]
(2)   Where any dog so seized wears a collar having inscribed thereon or attached thereto the address of any person, or the owner of the dog is known, the chief officer of police, or any person authorised by him in that behalf [ . . . ], shall serve on the person whose address is given on the collar, or on the owner, a notice in writing stating that the dog has been so seized, and will be liable to be sold or destroyed if not claimed within seven clear days after the service of the notice.
(3)   A notice under this section may be served either—
(a)    by delivering it to the person on whom it is to be served; or
(b)    by leaving it at that person’s usual or last known place of abode, or at the address given on the collar; or
(c)    by forwarding it by post in a prepaid letter addressed to that person at his usual or last known place of abode, or at the address given on the collar.
(4)   Where any dog so seized has been detained for seven clear days after the seizure, or, in the case of such a notice as aforesaid having been served with respect to the dog, then for seven clear days after the service of the notice, and the owner has not claimed the dog and paid all expenses incurred by reason of its detention, the chief officer of police, or any person authorised by him in that behalf [ . . . ], may cause the dog to be sold or destroyed in a manner to cause as little pain as possible.
(5)   No dog so seized shall be given or sold for the purposes of vivisection.
(6)   The chief officer of police of a police area [ . . . ] shall keep, or cause to be kept, one or more registers of all dogs seized under this section in that area which are not transferred to an establishment for the reception of stray dogs. The register shall contain a brief description of the dog, the date of seizure, and particulars as to the manner in which the dog is disposed of, and every such register shall be open to inspection at all reasonable times by any member of the public on payment of a fee of [5p].
(7)   The police shall not dispose of any dog seized under this section by transferring it to an establishment for the reception of stray dogs unless a register is kept for that establishment containing such particulars as to dogs received in the establishment as are above mentioned, and such register is open to inspection by the public on payment of a fee not exceeding [5p].
(8)   The police officer or other person having charge of any dog detained under this section shall cause the dog to be properly fed and maintained.
(9)   All expenses incurred by the police under this section shall be defrayed out of the police fund, and any money received by the police under this section shall be paid to the account of the police fund.
[(9A)    . . . ]
(10)   . . .
NOTES
Initial Commencement
Specified date
Specified date: 1 January 1907.
Amendment
Repealed, in relation to Northern Ireland, by the Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, SI 1983/764, art 56(2), Sch 2.
Sub-s (1): first words in square brackets inserted by the Local Government Act 1988, s 39(2), repealed by virtue of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, s 162, Sch 15, para 3, Sch 16, Part IX; final words in square brackets inserted by the Local Government Act 1988, s 39(3).
Sub-s (1A): inserted by the Local Government Act 1988, s 39(3).
Sub-ss (2), (4): words in square brackets inserted by the Local Government Act 1988, s 39(2), repealed by virtue of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, s 162, Sch 15, para 3, Sch 16, Part IX.
Sub-s (6): first words in square brackets inserted by the Local Government Act 1988, s 39(2), repealed by virtue of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, s 162, Sch 15, para 3, Sch 16, Part IX; words “in that area” were the original text, these words were substituted by the Local Government Act 1988, s 39(2), but that substitution was repealed by virtue of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, s 162, Sch 15, para 3, Sch 16, Part IX; sum in square brackets substituted by virtue of the Decimal Currency Act 1969, s 10(1).
Sub-s (7): words “The police shall not dispose of any dog seized under this section” were the original text, these words were substituted by the Local Government Act 1988, s 39(2), but that substitution was repealed by virtue of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, s 162, Sch 15, para 3, Sch 16, Part IX; final sum in square brackets substituted by virtue of the Decimal Currency Act 1969, s 10(1).
Sub-s (9A): inserted by the Local Government Act 1988, s 39(2); repealed by virtue of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, s 162, Sch 15, para 3, Sch 16, Part IX.
Sub-s (10): repealed by the Police Act 1964, ss 64(3), 65(6), Sch 10, Part I.
[4 Delivery of stray dogs to police]
[(1)    . . .
(2)   Where a dog has been [taken to a police station in pursuance of section 150(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990] then—
(a)    if the finder desires to keep the dog, he shall inform the said police officer of [this fact and shall furnish his name and address and the police officer shall, having complied with the procedure (if any) prescribed under subsection (5) below, allow the finder to remove the dog], and thereupon the finder may remove the dog, but shall be under an obligation to keep it for not less than one month;
(b)    if the finder does not desire to keep the dog, the said police officer shall treat it as if it had been seized by him in pursuance of section three of this Act.
(3)   If the finder [removes the dog but fails to keep it for at least one month,] he shall be liable on summary conviction to fine not exceeding [level 1 on the standard scale].
[(4)   The Secretary of State may, by regulations made by statutory instrument, prescribe the procedure to be followed under subsection (2)(a) above and any instrument containing regulations under this subsection shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.]]
NOTES
Amendment
Substituted by the Dogs (Amendment) Act 1928, s 2.
Repealed, in relation to Northern Ireland, by the Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, SI 1983/764, art 56(2), Sch 2.
Sub-s (1): repealed by the Environmental Protection Act 1990, s 162, Sch 15, para 3, Sch 16, Part IX.
Sub-s (2): words in square brackets substituted by the Environmental Protection Act 1990, s 162, Sch 15, para 3.
Sub-s (3): first words in square brackets substituted by the Environmental Protection Act 1990, s 162, Sch 15, para 3; maximum fine increased by the Criminal Law Act 1977, s 31(6), and converted to a level on the standard scale by virtue of the Criminal Justice Act 1982, ss 37, 46.
Sub-s (4): inserted by the Environmental Protection Act 1990, s 162, Sch 15, para 3.
5 . . .
. . .
NOTES
Amendment
Repealed by the Dog Licences Act 1959, ss 16, 17(2), Schedule.
6 Burying of carcases
Any person who shall knowingly and without reasonable excuse permit the carcase of any head of cattle belonging to him [or under his control] to remain unburied in a field or other place to which dogs can gain access shall be liable on conviction under the Summary Jurisdiction Acts to a fine not exceeding [level 1 on the standard scale].
NOTES
Initial Commencement
Specified date
Specified date: 1 January 1907.
Amendment
Repealed, in relation to Northern Ireland, by the Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, SI 1983/764, art 56(2), Sch 2.
First words in square brackets inserted by the Dogs (Amendment) Act 1928, s 3; maximum fine increased and converted to a level on the standard scale by virtue of the Criminal Justice Act 1982, ss 37, 38, 46.
7 Definition of cattle
In this Act the expression “cattle” includes horses, mules, asses, sheep, goats and swine.
NOTES
Initial Commencement
Specified date
Specified date: 1 January 1907.
Amendment
Repealed, in relation to Northern Ireland, by the Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, SI 1983/764, art 56(2), Sch 2.
8 Application of Act to Scotland
This Act shall apply to Scotland with the following modifications:—
(a)    . . .
(b)    The expression “police officer” shall mean a constable within the meaning of [the Police (Scotland) Act 1967]:
(c)    . . .
(d)    . . .
NOTES
Initial Commencement
Specified date
Specified date: 1 January 1907.
Amendment
Para (a) repealed by the Police (Scotland) Act 1967, ss 52(1), 53, Sch 5.
In para (b) words “the Police (Scotland) Act 1967” in square brackets substituted by the Police (Scotland) Act 1967, ss 52(1), 53(2), Sch 4.
Para (c) repealed by the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1976, s 1, Sch 1, Pt III.
Para (d) repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1927.
9 Application of Act to Ireland
This Act shall apply to Ireland with the following modifications:—
(a)    . . .
(b)    The expressions “chief officer of police” and “police area” shall mean . . . the district inspector of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and the district over which he is appointed:
(c)    . . .
NOTES
Initial Commencement
Specified date
Specified date: 1 January 1907.
Amendment
Repealed, in relation to Northern Ireland, by the Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, SI 1983/764, art 56(2), Sch 2.
Para (a): repealed by the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1976.
Para (b): words omitted spent.
Para (c): repealed by the Administration of Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 1954, s 29, Sch 7.
10 . . .
. . .
NOTES
Amendment
  Repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1927.
11 Short title
This Act may be cited as the Dogs Act 1906 . . .
NOTES
Initial Commencement
Specified date
Specified date: 1 January 1907.
Amendment
Repealed, in relation to Northern Ireland, by the Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, SI 1983/764, art 56(2), Sch 2.
Words omitted repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1927.
SCHEDULE
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