Parliament unanimously accepts new animal welfare bill with hefty fines

The Parliament, on Tuesday, unanimously accepted the government-backed new legislature on the care and protection of animals which proposes hefty fines, and forwarded the bill to the relevant committee for review.

The Animal Care and Protection Bill is sponsored by Hinnavaru MP Mohamed Abdul Rahman.

The preliminary debate on the bill concluded during Tuesday’s sitting, and the bill was later accepted with the unanimous approval of 43 lawmakers present, with no votes against it.

As such, the bill has been forwarded to the Parliament’s Committee on Social Affairs for review.

While presenting the bill, Abdul Rahman said it was aimed at establishing a legal framework for the safe and sustainable care, husbandry, and trade of animals.

Details of the provisions of the bill

The bill sets down rules regarding the health of animals and protection against the spread of zoonotic diseases.

It also prescribes hefty fines for violations. This includes:

• Fines of MVR 10,000 to MVR 1 million for an act that leads to the spread of a zoonotic disease.
• Fines of MVR 5,000 to MVR 500,000 for illegal import and export of animal.
• Fines of MVR 10,000 to MVR 100,000 for husbandry of animals, care of animals, or tampering of samples in violation of the law and for violation of the standards for animal care.
• Fines of MVR 5,000 to MVR 50,000 for harming an animal or releasing an animal to a public location.
• Fines of MVR 5,000 to MVR 100,000 for other violations.

The bill empowers the Animal Welfare Ministry with the authority to formulate policies under the legislature, and names the ministry as the main enforcer of the law.

The law previously required permission from the Defense Ministry for the import of an animal deemed “dangerous”. But the new bill will repeal this clause and grant the authority to the Animal Welfare Ministry.

The bill requires the government to establish port quarantine facilities and animal sanctuaries, and grants the Animal Welfare Ministry with the authority to inspect these facilities.

The bill will be applicable for the following types of animals: land animals, birds and insects, and aquatic animals. It will also apply to animal parts, including reproductive organs and parts produced by animals that are used for human consumption.

The animals that require special permits under the bill include endangered animals under the International Trade Control on Endangered Species Act, dangerous animals and animals that are not commonly found in the Maldives.