: I move amendment No. 1:
In page 9, line 12, to insert "(other than a dog or a cat affected or suspected of being affected with rabies)" after "poultry", and, in line 14, to insert after "eggs" the following: "(other than eggs of pigeons, doves, peafowl, swans or birds of the species psittaciformes)".
Rabies is unknown in this country. It can arise only from illegal importation or escape from a quarantine station. It seems unreasonable that compensation, therefore, should be compulsorily payable for a cat or dog which is smuggled and subsequently ordered to be slaughtered because of rabies. Likewise, it is unreasonable that compensation should be paid, in similar circumstances, in respect of animals found to be affected in a quarantine station or for such animals as might escape therefrom. Admittedly, there is a danger that a dog or cat might be bitten by a smuggled or escaped rabies animal but it is not unreasonable to expect that valuable dogs should be kept under proper control. The Protection of Animals Act, 1965, does, in fact, lay down specific provisions for the control of greyhounds in public. Part II of the First Schedule contains a list of domestic poultry, game and other birds to which the provisions of the Bill may be applied. While it may be reasonable that compensation should be compulsorily payable in respect of all live birds ordered to be slaughtered under the Act, there seems to be no compelling reason why compensation should be compulsorily payable for eggs of birds of no commercial significance.