Registration of Dogs Act, 1953

Jurisdiction
Eswatini
Citation
Act 83 of 1953
Date
1 December 1998
Language
English
Type
Legislation
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eSwatini

Registration of Dogs Act, 1953

Act 83 of 1953

  • Commenced on 1 January 1954
  • [This is the version of this document at 1 December 1998.]
An Act to amend and consolidate the law relating to the registration and control of dogs.

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Registration of Dogs Act, 1953.

2. Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—"land" means land other than land included in a town or municipality;"Minister" means the Minister for Local Administration.

3. Registration of dogs

(1)Every owner of or other person having the custody or control of a dog shall register such dog and take out a registration certificate and badge as is hereinafter provided, as soon as such dog is of the age of six months.
(2)Application for such certificate shall be made to the District Commissioner of the district in which the owner or custodian resides.
(3)The certificate shall be in the form prescribed in the Schedule, and with such certificate there shall be issued to the holder thereof a metal badge stamped with a number and the year for which it is issued; and if such metal badge is lost or destroyed, the certificate holder shall obtain a duplicate of such badge on payment of a fee of ten cents.
(4)In respect of dogs which are on the first day of January in any year of the age of six months and over, application shall be made for such certificate or a renewal thereof, within one month after such date and in respect of dogs reaching such age between such date and the thirty-first day of December next ensuing, application for a certificate shall be made within one month after it reaches such age.
(5)For every such certificate or renewal thereof, there shall be paid in respect of any dog kept in—
(a)the township area of Bhunya, Mbabane, Hlatikulu, Mankanyane, Manzini, Mhlambanyatsi, Nhlangano, Pigg’s Peak and Siteki, the sum of E5.00; and
(b)any other area, the sum of E1.00.
[Amended A.8/1985]
(6)On the renewal of such certificate or badge, the officer issuing the same, may require the delivery to him of any certificate or badge previously issued to the same person for a period which has expired.
(7)A person who fails to comply with the provisions of subsections (1) and (4) shall be guilty of an offence.

4. Production of registration certificates on demand

(1)Every person, who has in his possession or custody or under his control a dog, in respect of which a registration certificate is necessary under this Act, shall, within a reasonable time after being requested by an Administrative Officer, a Justice of the Peace or a member of the Royal Swaziland Police so to do, produce or cause to be produced for inspection such certificate and the dog in respect of which it was issued.
(2)A person failing to comply with the provisions of subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence.

5. Badges to be worn by dogs

Every holder of such certificate shall cause the metal badge issued to him to be worn at all times by the dog in respect of which the certificate is issued for the time during which such certificate is in force.

6. Destruction of unlicensed dogs

A dog found at any place without a current badge issued in respect of it under this Act may be destroyed forthwith by a member of the Royal Swaziland Police, authorised generally or specially thereto in writing by the Commissioner of Police, or by a person generally or specially authorised thereto in writing by the Minister.

7. Destruction of dogs trespassing

A dog which is not under control and custody of any person and which is found trespassing on land may be destroyed forthwith by or on the order of the owner, lessee or occupier of such land.

8. Penalties

(1)A person who fails to comply with sections 3(1) or 3(4), or section 4(1), shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding ten emalangeni or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one month.
(2)A person who—
(a)fabricates any document or piece of metal with intent that such document shall be used as a registration certificate, or such piece of metal shall be used as a badge, issued under this Act;
(b)uses or utters any fabricated document or piece of metal, well knowing the same to have been fabricated with the aforesaid intent;
(c)steals or is found in possession (and is unable to give a satisfactory account of such possession) of a badge issued under this Act; or
(d)with fraudulent intent makes use of a registration certificate or badge after the period for which it was issued has expired;
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of one hundred emalangeni, or in default of payment thereof to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months.

9. Power to make rules

The Minister may by notice in the Gazette make, alter and repeal rules prescribing the method of registration and the form of metal badges to be issued under this Act.

10. Cesser of application

(1)The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, declare that this Act no longer applies within the area of a specified town or municipality, whereupon this Act shall cease to apply within such area.
(2)Where the Minister has published a notice under subsection (1), section 23 of the General Interpretation Act, No. 21/1970 shall apply as if this Act were, in such area, repealed by another law.

Schedule

Swaziland

Badge No ______________________________________ Registered Tax No __________________________________

Dog registration certificate

This is to certify that _______________________________________________________________has this day registered a dog as follows:Breed ______________________________________ Sex ________________________Colour ____________________ Marks __________________ and paid the sum of seventy-five cents (75c) for the year ___________District Commissioner.
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History of this document

01 December 1998 this version
Consolidation
01 January 1954
Commenced