What is the Animal Welfare Act 2015 Malaysia All About?

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animal welfare act 2015 malaysia
By SAFM

The Animal Welfare Act 2015 Malaysia was gazetted in December 2015, finally putting animal abusers in the country accountable for their crimes.

Animal rights are still at sub-par standards in Malaysian. Due to the lack of awareness, animal cruelty and abuse continue to be a sickness in Malaysia. Many well-meaning pet owners ended up putting their pets in distress and trauma, especially among new pet owners and trend followers. So, this article helps to shed some light on what constitutes as animal abuse and violation of animal rights under the law.

Based on Animal Welfare Act 2015:  Part V – Cruelty to Animals

  1. Any person who :-
    1. cruelly beats, kicks, overloads, tortures or terrifies any animals;
    2. overrides or overdrives any animal, except for activities in relation to equestrian sports which is listed in the First Schedule of the Sports Development Act 1997 [Act 576]
    3. causes, procures or, being the owner, permits any animal to be so used;
    4. being the owner of any animal or, being the person in charge of any animal in confinement, fails or neglects to provide such animal with sufficient food, drink or shelter;
    5. causes any unnecessary pain or suffering, or, being the owner, permits any unnecessary pain or suffering to any animal;
    6. causes, procures or, being the owner, permits any animal to be confined, conveyed, lifted or carried in such manner or position as to subject such animal to unnecessary pain or suffering;
    7. employs, causes, procures or, being the owner, permits to be employed at any work or labour, any animal which in consequence of any disease, infirmity, wound or sore, or otherwise is unfit to be so employed;
    8. mutilates any animal in any manner including ear cropping, tail docking, defanging, declawing, branding, piercing or debarking unless in the manner as determined and certified by a veterinary authority or a registered veterinary surgeon;
    9. skins, roasts or kills any live animals for superstitious belief through a procedure which causes pain and suffering to the animals;
    10. extracts any parts of any live animals through a procedure which causes pain and suffering to the animals for the purpose of getting skins, oils or other animal products;
    11. dynamites, electrifies or poisons any streams, rivers or other water bodies for the purpose of killing, harvesting or catching animals;
    12. keeps any animal chained or tethered by using a short or heavy chain or cord, or hobbles the legs of animal;
    13. keeps or confines any animal in any cage or other receptacle which does not measure sufficiently in height, length and width to permit the natural movement of the animal;
    14. offers for sale any animal which is suffering in pain by reason of mutilation, starvation, thirst, overcrowding or other ill-treatment;
    15. possesses, without reasonable cause, any animal which is suffering in pain by reason of mutilation, starvation, thirst, overcrowding or other ill-treatment;
    16. abandons any animal in circumstances which the animal is likely to suffer trauma, pain or suffering by reason of relocation, starvation, thirst, injury or illness;
    17. being the owner of any animal, willfully or negligently causes any animal to go out unattended in any place while the animal is infected with infectious disease;
    18. being the owner of animal, willfully or negligently causes any diseased, disabled or injured animal to die in any place;
    19. causes, obtain or assists at the fighting or baiting of any animal, or keeps, uses, manages, or acts or assists in the management of any premises or place for the purpose of fighting or baiting any animal, or permits any premises or place to be so kept, managed or used, or receives or causes or obtains any person to receive, money for the admission of any person to such premises or place;
    20. promotes or takes part in any shooting match or competition of which animals are released from captivity for the purpose of such shooting; or
    21. organizes, participates, promotes or in any manner is associated with any sport or activity involving the use of animals, where such animals are subjected to cruelty, either during the sport or activity itself or while in training,

Culprits committing these offences as mentioned above can be convicted with a fine not less than RM 20,000 and not more than RM100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not more than 3 years or to both.

  1. Notwithstanding subsection (1), the following acts shall not constitute as an offence of animal cruelty:
    1. any acts which the Board has determined to be accepted veterinary management procedures;
    2. any baiting of any pest animals for the purposes of public health, disease control, population control and relocation for conservation done by any lawful authority or any person approved by the Board; or
    3. feeding of animals as food for other animals in accordance with their natural eating habits.

If you see any act of abuse against the law stated, file a report here or contact our Whatsapp hotline +60 016 266 2007. For the complete information on the Animal Welfare Act 2015 Malaysia, head over to this link for a comprehensive look at the law. 

How can you help?

Do you know that billions of animals suffer under the hands of heartless humans? Don’t the lives of animals mean anything? We encourage everyone to work towards compassion and respect all animals to form a long-term change against animal cruelty. Open your hearts, show compassion to these animals, and join us to end animal cruelty.

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