Senate debates Animal Disease, Importation Bill Tuesday

THE Senate will debate the Animal Disease and Importation Amendment Bill 2019 when it sits at the Red House from Tuesday at 10 am. Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat announced Government's intention to debate the legislation when the Senate adjourned last Wednesday.

The main objectives of the bill are to protect and promote animal health; to establish standards for animal welfare; to prevent the introduction and spread of animal diseases within TT from other countries and to facilitate and regulate trade in animals, carcasses, animal products and animal-related items.

Under Section 18 (I) of the legislation, an animal's owner is mandated by law to properly care for the animal in their care. That includes providing the animal with sufficient and suitable diet and access to sufficient and clean water; proper shelter and housing appropriate for the animal’s behavioural patterns, sufficient to protect the animal from unsuitable weather conditions including risk of injury/death from flooding or other natural disasters; veterinary care needed to treat and prevent suffering and disease; suitable accommodations during transportation; and humane care and treatment.

The section also prohibits an owner/person in charge of an animal from causing or permitting another person from causing the unnecessary suffering or death of an animal. An owner/person in charge of an animal is also required to take all reasonable steps to mitigate any suffering, potentially caused by the animal’s exposure to fireworks.

Under Section 21(1) of the legislation, any person who " takes or allows to be taken, or allows to stray a diseased/infested animal in or upon any common, public road, or public place", commits an offence. They will be subject on summary conviction of $50,000 and imprisonment for two years.

Anyone who knowingly or recklessly provides false or misleading information to obtain any document under the legislation will pay a fine of $100,000 on summary conviction.

The legislation also allows for the creation of animal disease emergency plans, an animal disease surveillance system, contingency plans for response to emergencies affecting animal health, declaration of animal disease emergency, declaration of different zones (including free zones, containment zones), movement restrictions, animal identification and traceability and registration of veterinary medicinal products.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to sit on Friday at 1.30 pm.