Revised Laws of Mauritius

A23 – 1 [Issue 1]

ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION OF ANIMALS (CONTROL) ACT Act 63 of 1946 – 31 October 1946

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

SECTION 1. Short title 2. — 3. Control of artificial insemination



ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION OF ANIMALS (CONTROL) ACT

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Artificial Insemination of Animals (Control) Act.

2. —

3. Control of artificial insemination

(1) The Minister may make regulations for controlling, in the case of ani- mals to which the regulations apply, the practice of artificial insemination and, in particular, for prohibiting, subject to such exemptions as may be specified in the regulations, the distribution and sale of the semen of any such animal.

(2) Regulations made under this section may apply to cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses, domestic fowls, turkeys, geese and ducks.

(3) (a) No person shall import or bring into Mauritius the semen of any animal to which regulations made under this section apply, except under the authority of a licence issued by the Minister.

(b) Where it is shown to the satisfaction of the Director-General of the Mauritius Revenue Authority that any such semen is being imported or brought solely with a view to the re-exportation thereof after transit through Mauritius or by way of transhipment, the Director-General of the Mauritius Revenue Authority may, subject to such conditions as he thinks fit to impose for securing the re-exportation of the semen, allow the semen to be imported or brought as if this subsection did not apply thereto.

(4) No person shall export from or take out of Mauritius the semen of any such animal as is mentioned in subsection (2), except under the authority of a licence issued by the Minister.

(5) A licence issued under this section may at any time be revoked by the Minister.

(6) Any Customs Department officer may seize any semen with respect to which he has reason to believe that an offence against subsection (3) or (4) has been committed and may detain it pending the determination of any

Artificial Insemination of Animals (Control) Act

[Issue 1] A23 – 2

proceedings instituted under this section in respect of the offence or until the Minister is satisfied that no such proceedings are likely to be instituted, and any semen so detained shall be detained at the owner’s risk in such place and manner as the Minister may direct, and, if such proceedings result in a conviction, shall be destroyed or otherwise disposed of as the Minister may direct.

(7) Any person authorised in writing in that behalf by the Minister may, on producing his authority, enter at all reasonable times— (a) any premises occupied by the holder of a licence issued under

this section and used for or in connection with any of the pur- poses authorised by the licence;

(b) the premises where animals, to which regulations made under this section apply and which have been artificially inseminated are kept;

(c) any premises on which, or in connection with which, he has rea- sonable grounds for suspecting that an offence under this sec- tion is being or has been committed,

and may inspect the premises and any animals or articles thereon and carry out such tests or other investigations as he thinks fit in order to ascertain whether this section and the regulations made under this section, and the conditions subject to which any licence is issued under this section, are be- ing complied with, and may, for the purposes of any such test or investiga- tion, require the occupier of the premises to give such information as it is in his power to give.

(8) Any person who contravenes this section or any regulations made under this section or any condition subject to which any licence is issued under this section, or obstructs any person in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by this section, or refuses to give to any such person any information which he is required to give, shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 1,000 rupees and, in the case of a second or subsequent offence, to imprisonment for a term not exceed- ing 3 months either in lieu of or in addition to such fine.