Policy background Relevant Offences
Section 1(2) states that the Secretary of State may, by regulations, prescribe offences as relevant offences for the purposes of this Act. This section requires the Secretary of State to make regulations to ‘switch on’ the penalty notices option through regulations, for relevant offences under the primary legislation listed in the Act itself and all secondary legislation made under that primary legislation.
The Secretary of State may prescribe an offence only if it is:
an offence under regulations made under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 which the Secretary of State considers relates to animals or animal products;
an offence under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976;
an offence under section 19 of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981;
an offence under the Animal Health Act 1981 or an order made under that Act;
an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 or under regulations made under section 12 or 13 of that Act;
an offence under the Wild Animals in Circuses Act 2019, or
an offence under section 1, 3 or 4(8) of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.