Regulations to promote welfare

(1) The appropriate national authority may by regulations make such provision as the authority
thinks fit for the purpose of promoting the welfare of animals for which a person is
responsible, or the progeny of such animals.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the power under subsection (1), regulations under
that subsection may, in particular—
(a) make provision imposing specific requirements for the purpose of securing that the needs of
animals are met;
(b) make provision to facilitate or improve co-ordination in relation to the carrying out by
different persons of functions relating to the welfare of animals;
(c) make provision for the establishment of one or more bodies with functions relating to
advice about the welfare of animals.

(3) Power to make regulations under subsection (1) includes power—
(a) to provide that breach of a provision of the regulations is an offence;
(b) to apply a relevant post-conviction power in relation to conviction for an offence under
the regulations;
(c) to make provision for fees or other charges in relation to the carrying out of functions
under the regulations;
(d) to make different provision for different cases or areas;
(e) to provide for exemptions from a provision of the regulations, either subject to specified
conditions or without conditions;
(f) to make incidental, supplementary, consequential or transitional provision or savings.

(4) Power to make regulations under subsection (1) does not include power to create an offence
triable on indictment or punishable with—
(a) imprisonment for a term exceeding 51 weeks, or
(b) a fine exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(5) Regulations under subsection (1) may provide that a specified offence under the regulations
is to be treated as a relevant offence for the purposes of section 23.

(6) Before making regulations under subsection (1), the appropriate national authority shall
consult such persons appearing to the authority to represent any interests concerned as the
authority considers appropriate.

(7) In this section, “specified” means specified in regulations under subsection (1).