1837: 1 Victoria c.66: Cruelty to Animals (Ireland)

1837: 1 Victoria c.66: An Act to Extend to Ireland the Act of the Fifth and Sixth Years of His late Majesty’s Reign Consolidating and Amending the Laws Relating to the Cruel and Improper Treatment of Animals.

‘WHEREAS an Act was passed in the Fifth and Sixth Years of the Reign of His late Majesty,  intituled An Act to consolidate and amend the several Laws relating to the cruel and improper Treatment of Animals, and the Mischiefs arising from the driving of Cattle, and to make other Provisions in regard thereto: And whereas the Provisions in the said Act contained with respect to the Application of Penalties incurred for Offences there under render it doubtful whether Convictions for such Offences can be had in Ireland; and it is expedient to amend such Provisions so that the Operation of the said Act may bo extended to that Part of the United Kingdom:’ Be it therefore enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the said recited Act shall and the same is hereby declared to extend to Ireland.

II. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That all pecuniary Penalties which shall be recovered before any Justice of the Peace under the Provisions of the said Act upon Convictions for Offences against the Provisions of the said Act committed in Ireland shall respectively be divided, paid, and distributed in the following Manner; (that is to say,) one Moiety thereof to such Dispensary, Hospital, or Infirmary as the Justice before whom the Conviction shall have taken place may direct, to be by the Treasurer thereof applied in aid of the Funds maintaining such Institution, and the other Moiety thereof, with full Costs, to the Person who shall inform and prosecute for such Offence, or to such other Person as to such Justice shall seem fit and proper;  and that all and every Sum or Sums of Money which shall or may be ascertained, determined, adjudged, and ordered by any Justice of the Peace under the Authority of the said Act to be paid as the Amount of any Damage or Injury occasioned by the Commission of any of the Offences therein mentioned shall be paid to the Person who shall or may have sustained such Damage or Injury, according to the Order or Determination and at the Discretion of any such Justice.

III. And be it further enacted, That in all Cases of Convictions for Offences contrary to this Act committed in Ireland the Name of the Dispensary, Hospital, or Infirmary to which the Justice before whom whom any such Conviction may take place may direct one Moiety of the Penalty to be paid as aforesaid shall be inserted in the Form by the said Act prescribed for drawing up Convictions under the same instead of the Words “Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish, to be by them applied according to the Directions of the Statute in that Case made and provided” in such Form contained.

Source: Animal Rights History via Internet Archive.