The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 – All Sections

An Act to prevent the infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering on animals and for that purpose to amend the law relating to the prevention of cruelty to animals.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 has 44 sections in 5 chapters, amended 5 times. Each link below opens the official text of that section. Official PDF on India Code.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 PDF

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Official copy of the Act from India Code (Legislative Department, Government of India).

All sections of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960

Chapter I: PRELIMINARY

Section 1 – Short title, extent and commencement
Section 2 – Definitions
Section 3 – Duties of persons having charge of animals

Chapter III: CRUELTY TO ANIMALS GENERALLY

Section 11 – Treating animals cruelly
Section 12 – Penalty for practising phooka or doom dev
Section 13 – Destruction of suffering animals

Chapter IV: EXPERIMENTATION ON ANIMALS

Section 14 – Experiments on animals
Section 15 – Committee for control and supervision of experiments on animals
Section 15A – Sub-committees
Section 16 – Staff of the Committee
Section 17 – Duties of the Committee and power of the Committee to make rules relating to experiments on animals
Section 18 – Power of entry and inspection
Section 19 – Power to prohibit experiments on animals
Section 20 – Penalties

Chapter V: PERFORMING ANIMALS

Section 21 – “Exhibit” and “train” defined
Section 22 – Restriction on exhibition and training of performing animals
Section 23 – Procedure for registration
Section 24 – Power of court to prohibit or restrict exhibition and training of performing animals
Section 25 – Power to enter premises
Section 26 – Offences
Section 27 – Exemptions

Chapter VI: MISCELLANEOUS

Section 28 – Saving as respects manner of killing prescribed by religion
Section 29 – Power of court to deprive person convicted of ownership of animal
Section 30 – Presumption as to guilt in certain cases
Section 31 – Cognizability of offences
Section 32 – Power of search and seizure
Section 33 – Search warrants
Section 34 – General power of seizure for examination
Section 35 – Treatment and care of animals
Section 36 – Limitation of prosecutions
Section 37 – Delegation of powers
Section 38 – Power to make rules
Section 38A – Rules and regulations to be laid before Parliament
Section 39 – Persons authorised under section 34 to be public servants
Section 40 – Indemnity
Section 41 – Repeal of Act 11 of 1890 (omitted/repealed)

Section 4 – Establishment of Animal Welfare Board of India
Section 5 – Constitution of the Board
Section 5A – Reconstitution of the Board
Section 6 – Term of office and conditions of service of members of the Board
Section 7 – Secretary and other employees of the Board
Section 8 – Funds of the Board
Section 9 – Functions of the Board
Section 10 – Power of Board to make regulations