Chapter V ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES

1. (1) Where by any rule, notification, notice, requisition, order or direction made under this Act, any person is required to take any measure or to do anything—
   • (a) in respect of any animal, carcass of any animal or other thing in his custody or charge, the same shall be promptly complied with by that person;
   • (b) in case of any stray or ownerless animal, carcass of such animal or parts thereof, the same shall be promptly complied with by the municipality or Panchayat, as the case may be, at its cost.
2. (2) If the measures as referred to in sub-section (1) are not taken within such time as may be allowed for the purpose, the authority issuing the notice, requisition, order or direction, may cause the measures to be taken at the cost of the person or municipality or Panchayat, as the case may be, who or which was required to take the measures. 2. Ins by s. 2 and Sch., ibid. (w.e.f. 01-07-2026).
3. (3) The costs of any measures taken under sub-section (2), shall be recoverable from the person or the municipality or Panchayat, as the case may be, concerned 1[in the manner provided in section 34A], as if such costs were a fine imposed by a Court.

¹ Subs. by Act 8 of 2026, s. 2 and Sch., for “dispose it of” (w.e.f. 01-07-2026).

2[Any Village Officer, Registered practitioners, Veterinarian or

Veterinary Officer of the] animal husbandry and veterinary departments of the State Government, shall be bound—

1. (a) to give immediate information to the Veterinary Officer and to the Veterinarian having jurisdiction in the area regarding the prevalence of a scheduled disease amongst any animal or species of animals, in the area;
2. (b) to take all necessary measures to prevent the outbreak or spread of any scheduled disease; and
3. (c) to assist the Veterinary Officer and the Veterinarian in the discharge of their duties or in the exercise of their powers under this Act.

If any person issues a vaccination certificate,—

1. (a) without authority or competence in that behalf, or
2. (b) after administering the vaccine which is known to be defective in any manner, he shall be guilty of an offence punishable with a fine of five thousand rupees or in case of non-payment of fine with imprisonment which may extend to one month, and in the case of any subsequent offence, with fine of ten thousand rupees or with imprisonment which may extend to three months.

–Any person who contravenes any provision of this Act, the rules, orders and notifications made or issued thereunder or obstructs the Competent Officer in performing his duties, shall be liable to penalty not exceeding ten thousand rupees and in the case of a continuing contravention, to an additional penalty which may extend to five thousand rupees for every day during which such contravention is continues.

–(1) No person shall,––

1. (a) place or cause to be placed the carcass of any animal or any part thereof, in any river, canal, tank, pond, well, stream, lake, spring, ocean, or any other water source; or
2. (b) dispose of or permit the carcass of any such animal to remain in any open place in a manner likely to cause spread of infection or environmental contamination.

1. (2) Any person who contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) shall be liable to penalty not exceeding ten thousand rupees.
2. (3) Where such contravention results in contamination of any water source referred to in sub-section (1) or spread of disease to other animals, the adjudicating authority may make an order for,––
   • (a) the recovery of charges for carcass disposal, disinfection and cleaning of water source or place, as the case may be, from the person adjudicated upon; and
   • (b) the temporary suspension or cancellation of any livestock handling or trade licence held by the person adjudicated upon, for a period not exceeding six months.
3. (4) The provisions of this section shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, the provisions of sections 271 and 272 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023).

¹ Subs. by Act 8 of 2026, s. 2 and Sch., for “in the manner provided by the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) for the recovery of fines imposed by a Court” (w.e.f. 01-07-2026).

² Subs. by s. 2 and Sch., ibid., for “All Municipal, Panchayat or Village Officers and all officers of the rural and dairy development, revenue, agriculture,” (w.e.f. 01-07-2026).

³ Subs. by s. 2 and Sch., ibid., for ss. 32 and 33 (w.e.f. 01-07-2026).

–For the purpose of adjudication of penalties under the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder, the State Government or the Union territory administration, as the case may be, shall authorise the Sub-Divisional Magistrate or any other Executive Magistrate, as the case may be, having jurisdiction, as an adjudicating officer for holding an inquiry and imposing penalty, in the manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government:

Provided that no such penalty shall be imposed without giving the person concerned a reasonable opportunity of being heard.

–(1) Whoever aggrieved by the order, passed by the adjudicating officer under section 33A may, within thirty days from the date of receipt of order, prefer an appeal to the District Magistrate or the Additional District Magistrate specially authorised in this behalf by the State Government or the Union territory administration, as the case may be, as an appellate authority, in such form and manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

1. (2) An appeal may be admitted after the expiry of the period of thirty days if the appellant satisfies the appellate authority that he had sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within that period.
2. (3) The appellate authority may, after giving the parties to the appeal an opportunity of being heard, pass such order as he may think fit.
3. (4) An appeal under sub-section (1) shall be disposed of within sixty days from the date of filing.

–Where any person fails to pay the penalty imposed under the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder within ninety days of such imposition, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to twice the amount of the penalty, or with both.

–(1) Where an adjudicating officer imposes a penalty under the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder, the amount of the said penalty realised shall be credited to the Fund of the Animal Welfare Board of India constituted under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (59 of 1960).

1. (2) The Board shall utilise the amount realised through penalty for the implementation of the provision of the Act and the rules made thereunder in such manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government.]

1. (1) Where an offence under this Act has been committed by a company, every person who at the time the offence was committed was in charge of, and was responsible to, the company for the conduct of the business of the company, as well as the company, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded and punished accordingly: Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render such person liable to any punishment provided in this Act, if he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or that he had exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.
2. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where an offence under this Act has been committed by a company and it is proved that the offence has been committed with the consent or connivance of, or is attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other officer of the company, such director, manager, secretary or other officer shall also be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly. Explanation.—For the purposes of this section,—
   • (a) “company” means any body corporate and includes a co-operative society registered or deemed to be registered under any law for the time being in force, a firm or other association of individuals; and
   • (b) “director”, in relation to a firm, means a partner in the firm.