Magistrate empowered to destroy a horse, mule or donkey suffering from a painful disease

Magistrate empowered to destroy a horse, mule or donkey suffering from a painful disease.—

1. (1) If a horse or mule or donkey is suffering from a painful, incurable or contagious disease and its sufferings are such as to justify its destruction, it shall be lawful for any Magistrate to order its destruction, if a Veterinary Officer not below the rank of Veterinary Assistant has certified in writing that such destruction is considered necessary. When any animal is destroyed in this manner, no claim for compensation will be maintainable.
2. (2) Any Police Officer who finds any horse, mule or donkey so diseased or injured or in such physical condition that it cannot, in his opinion be removed without cruelty, may, if the owner is absent or refuses to consent to the destruction of the animal, summon the nearest Veterinary officer and if the Veterinary officer certifies that the animal is so tortured to justify destruction, destroy the animal or cause it to be destroyed.