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Animals (Straying) Act

Ordinance 31 of 1922 Current version · as at 31 December 2023

An Act relating to the straying of animals.

Enacted1922
Commenced30 December 1922
Last amended28 July 2023Act 17 of 2023
Point-in-time consolidation · as at 31 December 2023. This page may not reflect amendments made after that date. Confirm the current position against the latest Uganda Gazette before relying on it.

About this Act

An Act relating to the straying of animals.

Jurisdiction
Uganda
Type
Principal Legislation
Status
In force
Language
English

Amendments

1 amending instrument
  1. 28 July 2023 Law Revision (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2023 Act 17 of 2023

Full text of the Act

0 parts · 4 sections

Enhanced Annotated View adds approved, source-linked propositions, operative requirements, judicial passages, related provisions, amendment notes and authority status. Choose Original PDF to inspect the source consolidation.

Uganda

Animals (Straying) Act

Commenced on 30 December 1922

[This is the version of this document at 31 December 2023.]

An Act relating to the straying of animals.

1. Interpretation

In this Act, "currency point" has the value assigned to it in the Schedule to this Act

Section analysis Source-linked statutory analysis Source linked
Approved statute annotation. Statutory quotations are matched to this consolidation and judicial passages are linked to judgments. Check the primary sources alongside this analysis.
What this section does
Definition

This section supplies the definitions or statutory meaning governing “Interpretation”.

“In this Act, "currency point" has the value assigned to it in the Schedule to this Act”
Primary legislation Source quotation matched
Practical effect

Use this definition when interpreting other provisions that employ the language addressed by “Interpretation”.

Deterministic editorial synthesis — not a substitute for the statutory text Editorial synthesis approved
Elements or requirements

Operative requirements extracted from the consolidated text.

0

This section states a single governing proposition and does not enumerate separate elements.

Judicial interpretation

Express propositions in source-matched passages from judgments citing this section.

0

No judgment in the current Wakilii corpus expressly cites this section. Bare rule-number references are not assigned where the Order cannot be verified.

Related provisions

No express internal or cross-Act reference appears in this section.

Amendment notes

No section-specific note is recorded. Act-level consolidation history:

  • [Amended by Law Revision (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2023 (Act 17 of 2023) on 28 July 2023]

Act-level history only · Do not infer that every amendment changed this section

Authority status: legislation is primary authority; judgment weight follows the displayed court level and the ratio caveat. Check version history

2. Power to seize straying animals

(1)

An administrative, veterinary or police officer or inspecting officer may seize any animal found straying, or any animal of which he or she has reason to believe the owner refuses to take and keep charge, and may order that animal to be taken immediately into any area or place, or he or she may remove the animal to any pound, enclosure or other place selected by a veterinary officer and detain it there subject to the orders of a magistrate.

(2)

Any seizure and detention made under this section shall with all practicable speed be reported by the official making it to a magistrate having jurisdiction in the area within which the seizure has been made.

Section analysis Source-linked statutory analysis Source linked
Approved statute annotation. Statutory quotations are matched to this consolidation and judicial passages are linked to judgments. Check the primary sources alongside this analysis.
What this section does
Jurisdictional rule

This section establishes the jurisdictional rule for “Power to seize straying animals”.

“(1) An administrative, veterinary or police officer or inspecting officer may seize any animal found straying, or any animal of which he or she has reason to believe the owner refuses to take and keep charge, and may order that animal to be taken immediately into any area or place, or he or she may remove the animal to any pound, enclosure or other place selected by a veterinary officer and detain it there subject to the orders of a magistrate.”
Primary legislation Source quotation matched
Practical effect

A litigant should establish this jurisdictional basis before asking the court to determine the merits.

Deterministic editorial synthesis — not a substitute for the statutory text Editorial synthesis approved
Elements or requirements

Operative requirements extracted from the consolidated text.

2
  1. (1) An administrative, veterinary or police officer or inspecting officer may seize any animal found straying, or any animal of which he or she has reason to believe the owner refuses to take and keep charge, and may order that animal to be taken immediately into any area or place, or he or she may remove the animal to any pound, enclosure or other place selected by a veterinary officer and detain it there subject to the orders of a magistrate.
  2. (2) Any seizure and detention made under this section shall with all practicable speed be reported by the official making it to a magistrate having jurisdiction in the area within which the seizure has been made.
Judicial interpretation

Express propositions in source-matched passages from judgments citing this section.

0

No judgment in the current Wakilii corpus expressly cites this section. Bare rule-number references are not assigned where the Order cannot be verified.

Related provisions

No express internal or cross-Act reference appears in this section.

Amendment notes

No section-specific note is recorded. Act-level consolidation history:

  • [Amended by Law Revision (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2023 (Act 17 of 2023) on 28 July 2023]

Act-level history only · Do not infer that every amendment changed this section

Authority status: legislation is primary authority; judgment weight follows the displayed court level and the ratio caveat. Check version history

3. Disposal of straying animals

Whenever it is reported to a magistrate that any animal has been seized and detained under section 2 , but that the owner of the animal is unknown or cannot be found, the magistrate may, if satisfied by evidence on oath that the owner is unknown or cannot be found, make such order for the detention, sale or disposal of the animal and of the proceeds therefrom, if any, as he or she may think fit; but (a) no order shall be made unless the owner, if his or her name and whereabouts are known, of the animal has had an opportunity of appearing before the magistrate to show cause why the order should not be made; and

(b)

if it appears that the owner is willing to take and keep charge of the animal, the magistrate may make such an order releasing the animal to the owner on payment of the expenses incurred in connection with the animal as shall be stated by the magistrate in the order and, in addition, if the magistrate thinks fit, of a fine not exceeding five currency points for each animal.

Section analysis Source-linked statutory analysis Source linked
Approved statute annotation. Statutory quotations are matched to this consolidation and judicial passages are linked to judgments. Check the primary sources alongside this analysis.
What this section does
Statutory power

This section confers or regulates the statutory power described as “Disposal of straying animals”.

“Whenever it is reported to a magistrate that any animal has been seized and detained under section 2, but that the owner of the animal is unknown or cannot be found, the magistrate may, if satisfied by evidence on oath that the owner is unknown or cannot be found, make such order for the detention, sale or disposal of the animal and of the proceeds therefrom, if any, as he or she may think fit; but (a) no order shall be made unless the owner, if his or her name and whereabouts are known, of the animal has had an…”
Primary legislation Source quotation matched
Practical effect

The power must be exercised by the authorised decision-maker, within the conditions and purpose stated in the section.

Deterministic editorial synthesis — not a substitute for the statutory text Editorial synthesis approved
Elements or requirements

Operative requirements extracted from the consolidated text.

1
  1. (b) if it appears that the owner is willing to take and keep charge of the animal, the magistrate may make such an order releasing the animal to the owner on payment of the expenses incurred in connection with the animal as shall be stated by the magistrate in the order and, in addition, if the magistrate thinks fit, of a fine not exceeding five currency points for each animal.
Judicial interpretation

Express propositions in source-matched passages from judgments citing this section.

0

No judgment in the current Wakilii corpus expressly cites this section. Bare rule-number references are not assigned where the Order cannot be verified.

Related provisions
Section 2 · Power to seize straying animals
Amendment notes

No section-specific note is recorded. Act-level consolidation history:

  • [Amended by Law Revision (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2023 (Act 17 of 2023) on 28 July 2023]

Act-level history only · Do not infer that every amendment changed this section

Authority status: legislation is primary authority; judgment weight follows the displayed court level and the ratio caveat. Check version history

4. Power to amend Schedule

The Minister responsible for finance may, by statutory instrument, with the approval of Cabinet, amend the Schedule to this Act Schedule (Sections 1 , 4 )

Currency point A currency point is equivalent to twenty thousand shillings.

Section analysis Source-linked statutory analysis Source linked
Approved statute annotation. Statutory quotations are matched to this consolidation and judicial passages are linked to judgments. Check the primary sources alongside this analysis.
What this section does
Statutory power

This section confers or regulates the statutory power described as “Power to amend Schedule”.

“The Minister responsible for finance may, by statutory instrument, with the approval of Cabinet, amend the Schedule to this Act Schedule (Sections 1, 4)”
Primary legislation Source quotation matched
Practical effect

The power must be exercised by the authorised decision-maker, within the conditions and purpose stated in the section.

Deterministic editorial synthesis — not a substitute for the statutory text Editorial synthesis approved
Elements or requirements

Operative requirements extracted from the consolidated text.

1
  1. The Minister responsible for finance may, by statutory instrument, with the approval of Cabinet, amend the Schedule to this Act Schedule (Sections 1, 4)
Judicial interpretation

Express propositions in source-matched passages from judgments citing this section.

0

No judgment in the current Wakilii corpus expressly cites this section. Bare rule-number references are not assigned where the Order cannot be verified.

Related provisions
Section 1 · Interpretation
Amendment notes

No section-specific note is recorded. Act-level consolidation history:

  • [Amended by Law Revision (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2023 (Act 17 of 2023) on 28 July 2023]

Act-level history only · Do not infer that every amendment changed this section

Authority status: legislation is primary authority; judgment weight follows the displayed court level and the ratio caveat. Check version history

Original Laws of Uganda consolidation (as at 31 December 2023) — public-domain legislation, consolidated by ULII / Laws.Africa (CC BY 4.0). This is a point-in-time text and may not reflect later amendments; confirm against the latest Uganda Gazette before relying on it.