Statutory guidance

Penalty notices for animal health and welfare offences

Guidance for enforcement authorities who use penalty notices for animal health and welfare offences.

Applies to England

Documents

Statutory guidance on the use of penalty notices for animal health and welfare offences (web-accessible PDF)

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Statutory guidance on the use of penalty notices for animal health and welfare offences (print-ready PDF)

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

Enforcement authorities and constables must ‘have regard’ to this statutory guidance when deciding whether to issue a penalty notice and deciding the amount to be specified in the notice.

Enforcement authorities and constables in England should use this guidance alongside the regulations that detail which offences are covered within the penalty notice regime. 

Relevant legislation 

The Animals (Penalty Notices) (England) Regulations 2023

Published 11 December 2023