Trinidad and Tobago’s Summary Offences Act has provisions for animal cruelty as outlined below:
Relevant Sections:
- (1) Any person who cruelly beats, ill-treats, starves, over-drives, overrides, overloads, abuses, tortures or otherwise maltreats any animal is liable to a fine of four hundred dollars or to imprisonment for two months.
(2) An animal shall be deemed to be overloaded if it is made to carry a burden or draw a load which is beyond its strength, or after it is exhausted, or if by reason of the size, strength, or condition of the animal or any other circumstances the Magistrate is of opinion that the burden or load is unduly heavy.
- (1) Any person who-
- In any manner encourages, aids, or assists at the fighting or baiting
of any such animal; or
- Keeps or uses or acts in the management of any place to be used for the purpose of fighting or baiting any such animal: or
- Being the owner or occupier of any place, permits or suffers it to be so used,
Is liable to a fine of four hundred dollars or to imprisonment for two months.
(2) Any person who receives money for the admission of any other person to any place kept or used for any of the purposes mentioned above shall, unless the contrary is proved be deemed to be the keeper of such place.
- A Magistrate or Justice may, by warrant under his hand, authorize any constable to enter any place used for the purpose of fighting or baiting any animal and to apprehend all person who, and seize all animals which may be found there, and to take them before a Magistrate or Justice to be dealt with according to law.
- (1) In the case of any offence under sections 79 or 80, the court may, if it thinks fit, order as part of its sentence that the animal shall be destroyed and its body disposed of at the expense of the offender.