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Section 32: Imprisonment or fine

Animal Welfare Act 2006 · 2006 c. 45View on legislation.gov.uk

A person guilty of an offence under any of sections 4, 5, 6(1) and (2), 7 and 8 shall be liable —

on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates' court, or to a fine, or to both;
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years, or to a fine, or to both.

A person guilty of an offence under section 9, 13(6) or 34(9) shall be liable on summary conviction to—

imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks, or
a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale,

or to both.

A person guilty of an offence under regulations under section 12 or 13 shall be liable on summary conviction to such penalty by way of imprisonment or fine as may be provided by regulations under that section.

A person guilty of any other offence under this Act shall be liable on summary conviction to—

imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks, or
a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale,

or to both.

In relation to an offence committed before 2 May 2022, the reference in subsection (1)(a) to the general limit in a magistrates' court is to be read as a reference to 6 months.

In relation to an offence committed before the commencement of section 281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), the reference in each of subsections ... (2)(a) and (4)(a) to 51 weeks is to be read as a reference to 6 months.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.