Australian Capital Territory Numbered Acts

ANIMAL DISEASES ACT 2005 (NO. 18 OF 2005) - SECT 18

    (1)     The director may, in writing, direct—

        (a)     an authorised person to seize an animal, animal product, vehicle or other thing; or

        (b)     the owner or person in charge of premises, an animal product or other thing to take stated action to decontaminate the premises, animal product or thing; or

        (c)     the owner or person in charge of an animal to—

              (i)     take stated action to inoculate the animal or otherwise produce an immunity to the disease in the animal; or

              (ii)     take stated action to treat the animal or protect its welfare; or

        (d)     an authorised person or anyone else to take any other stated action that the director considers necessary.

Note     The Legislation Act, s 170 deals with the application of the privilege against selfincrimination.

    (2)     The director may give a direction under subsection (1) only if the director has reasonable grounds for believing that it is necessary to give the direction to prevent or control the spread of an endemic disease.

    (3)     If an authorised person has reasonable grounds for suspecting that an animal is infected with an endemic disease, the authorised person may, in writing, direct the owner or person in charge of the animal to keep it at stated premises for a stated reasonable time.

    (4)     A person commits an offence if the person fails to take all reasonable steps to comply with a direction given to the person under this section.

Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units, imprisonment for 6 months or both.

    (5)     Subsection (4) does not apply to an authorised person.