Animal cruelty penalty as low as Rs 10 for first offence: Govt

New Delhi: The penalty for acts of cruelty to animals, including killing or maiming, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 is currently as low as Rs 10-50 for the first offence, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying S P Singh Baghel, in his written reply to the Lok Sabha, said as per Section 11(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, any person who treats an animal cruelly shall, for the first offence, be punishable with a fine not less than Rs 10 but which may extend to Rs 50.

For the second or subsequent offence committed within three years of the previous offence, the person is punishable with a fine of not less than Rs 20 but which may extend to Rs 100, or with imprisonment for a term that may extend to three months, or with both, he said.

The minister said the subject of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals falls under the Concurrent List (List III) of the 7th Schedule of the Constitution of India.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, also contains enabling provisions for penalising acts of cruelty to animals, he said.

While enforcement primarily rests with the respective state governments, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) actively pursues complaints received from across the country by forwarding them to the state governments, district collectors, magistrates, and superintendents of police.

Over the last five years, AWBI has addressed 4,589 complaints, forwarding them to the appropriate authorities for necessary legal action, he added.

Complaints of animal cruelty are primarily dealt with by local authorities, as enforcement of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 is under the jurisdiction of state governments and Union Territory Administrations.

"AWBI does not maintain any data on penalties imposed or nature of punishments awarded," he said.

Of the 4,589 complaints forwarded to state governments, action taken reports have been received for 306 cases, he said.

The government and AWBI continues to promote animal welfare through education, training, awareness programmes, and financial assistance. Training initiatives have been launched for police personnel, gaushala workers, and honorary animal welfare officers.

Awareness campaigns, advisory issuance, and collaborative efforts with state governments and NGOs are ongoing.

AWBI has published handbooks on animal laws, supports colony animal caretaker authorisations, and provides financial aid to recognised shelters and gaushalas under various schemes -- for rescue operations, shelter management, ambulances, birth control programmes, and disaster relief.

In the past five years, AWBI has received 269 complaints from Karnataka, of which 217 relate to animal deaths.

AWBI has also received complaints concerning the deaths of tigers and 20 monkeys in Karnataka, which were forwarded to the state forest department for appropriate action under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.