by Adv. Rita Felgate
The newly published North West Animal Pound Act, No. 7 of 2010 refers in its section 6 to “an animal found trespassing on land”.
Can an animal trespass? I have to think about that! I thought it was only the owner of the animal that would be considered to be trespassing, and where there was no owner, there could be no trespass. Maybe animal rights and liabilities are further along that I thought 🙂
The wording, in context, is “Where an animal found trespassing on land or to be straying unattended on a public road or public place”, which makes everything even a little more confusing: Is an animal unattended on a public road or public place not capable of trespass? What? Re-read… Re-read. Legal quagmire ahead.