Animal Protection Amendment Bill [PMB-2017]

Ms C Dudley (ACDP MP) has published the Animal Protection Amendment Bill, 2017 and the Memorandum on the Objects of the Bill for public comment.

Comments can be emailed to Ms B Mbete at [email protected] and copied to Ms Dudley at [email protected] by no later than Saturday, 30 December 2017.

Enquiries can be directed to Ms Dudley's Office on tel 021 403 2453

The purpose of the Bill is to amend two Acts with the intention to prohibit the sale and manufacturing of cosmetics that were tested on an animal in the Republic; criminalise the testing of cosmetics on animals; and criminalise the failure to provide an animal with an appropriate environment; and matters related to these objectives.

The Bill amends the definitions section in both Acts and furthermore amends—

-the Animals Protection Act, 1962, (ActNo. 71 of 1962) (hereinafter referred to as the Principal Act), to provide for new offences related to the testing of a cosmetic or ingredient of a cosmetic on an animal; and related to the failure to make sufficient space in an appropriate environment available to an animal and matters related thereto — including penalties, interim orders and an award of damages. The Bill also provides for the qualification requirements of an officer of any Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and empowers the Minister to make regulations setting standards for the testing of other substance (other than cosmetics)  on  an animal; and

-the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972, to create an offence for the selling or manufacturing of a cosmetic that has been tested on an animal in the Republic, and matters related thereto. The Bill further makes provision for an inspector appointed under the Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1993 (Act No. 169 of 1993), to conduct certain inspections under this Act and for all inspectors authorised by this Act to retain the powers conferred by their appointing laws. The Bill also provides for the process when seizing an animal. This Act is amended by way of inclusion in a Schedule as it is administered by the Department of Health.