Vol. 468 No. 4
838 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if regulations exist determining maximum loads that a horse may carry and a maximum continued period that a horse is forced to work; and if so, if such regulations are being enforced and complied with. [15078/96]
No such regulations exist. The Protection of Animals Act, 1911, which is enforced by the Garda Síochána, prescribes that persons shall be guilty of an offence of cruelty if they over-ride, over-drive over-load any animal, including a horse. As indicated in the House on 29 May, provision has been made in the Control of Horses Bill, 1996, for a major recasting of section 1 (1) of the Act to include conviction on indictment in the case of offences of cruelty. The Bill provides for maximum penalties for cruelty to animals as follows: on summary conviction, a fine of £1,500 or six months imprisonment or both; on conviction on indictment, a fine of £10,000 or two years imprisonment or both.
