CONTROL AND DISEASES OF ANIMALS

CHAPTER 66:02
CONTROL AND DISEASES OF ANIMALS

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

    1.    Short title

    2.    Interpretation

    3.    Diseased animals to be separated and notification made

    4.    Power of Minister and others to make orders and declarations regarding infected areas, diseases and animals

    5.    Provisions for infected areas

    6.    Power of Minister to prohibit import or export

     7.    Quarantine stations

    8.    Power of Minister to make rules

    9.    Slaughter

    10.    Disposal of carcasses

    11.    Indemnity and payment of compensation

    12.    Power to enter and examine

    13.    Power to detain vehicles and vessels

    14.    Detention and arrest

    15.    Obstruction

    16.    Seizure of animals, etc.

    17.    Forfeiture when offender not found and disposal of forfeited animals

    18.    Complaints as to dogs

    19.    Damages for injuries by dog

    20.    Presumption of age

    21.    Owner to produce dog for inspection

    22.    Penalties

41 of 1967
30 of 1969
G.N. 242/1969
143/1976

    An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the control and diseases of animals

1.    Short title

    This Act may be cited as the Control and Diseases of Animals Act.

2.    Interpretation

    In this Act—

    “animal” means any bull, cow, ox, heifer, calf, sheep, goat, horse, mule, donkey, pig, domestic fowl and any game animal as defined in the definition of the expression “game” or “game animal” contained under the Game Act, any wild carnivore tamed and kept as a pet, guinea fowl, pigeon, pea-fowl, dog, cat and any other creature which the Minister has, by order under section 4, declared to be an animal for the purposes of this Act;

    “carcass” means the carcass of an animal and includes part of a carcass, and the meat, bones, hide, skin, hoofs, horns or other part of an animal separately or otherwise or any portion thereof;

    “disease” means anthrax, atrophic rhinitis of pigs, bovine and caprine pleuropneumonia, clostridial infections (including blackquarter), East Coast fever, epidemic tremor of chickens, foot and mouth disease, glanders and farcy, infectious cervico-vaginitis and epididymitis, lumpy skin disease, lymphangitis, mange, Newcastle disease of poultry, rabies, rinderpest, senkobo skin disease, sheep pox, swine erysipelas, swine fever, trypanosomiasis and tuberculosis and any other disease which the Minister has, by notice under section 4, declared to be a disease for the purposes of this Act;

    “dog” means any quadruped of the species canis familiaris;

    “infected area” means an area declared to be an infected area by an order made under section 4, in respect of which no declaration has been so made that the area is free from disease;

    “inspector” means any Professional Officer, Technical Officer or Technical Assistant employed by the Department of Veterinary Services of the Government of Malawi;

    “owner” in relation to a dog or other animal means any person in whose custody, possession or charge it is, also any person in whose house or premises it is kept or found unless such last-mentioned person shall prove that it does not belong to him and is not in his custody, possession or charge;

    “veterinary officer” means an officer in the service of the Government who is a veterinary surgeon.

3.    Diseased animals to be separated and notification made

    (1) Every person having in his possession or charge an animal affected or suspected of being affected with disease shall—

    (a)    keep such animal separate from animals not so affected or suspected, and cause the animal affected or suspected to be tied up, or put in an enclosed place; and

    (b)    forthwith give notice of the fact of the animal being affected or suspected to the nearest inspector or police officer.

    (2) Any police officer so notified shall forthwith notify the nearest inspector, who shall give such directions and take such steps as may be necessary for the purpose of ascertaining the existence and nature of the disease, and on being satisfied that such disease exists he shall forthwith report the disease to the Chief Veterinary Officer.

4.    Power of Minister and others to make orders and declarations regarding infected areas, diseases and animals

    (1) The Minister, the Chief Veterinary Officer, or any person duly authorized in writing by either of them, may at any time, by order made under his hand—

    (a)    declare any area within Malawi to be an infected area as regards any disease named in such order;

    (b)    extend, diminish or otherwise alter the limits of an infected area;

    (c)    declare an infected area to be free from disease;

    (d)    for the purpose of preventing disease, prohibit the removal of animals, or of any carcass, litter, dung or fodder from any area described in such order.

    Any such order made shall…