Commentary on Sections Prevention of Harm Section 8 – Fighting etc.
This section creates a number of offences in relation to animal fighting, which is defined as an occasion on which a protected animal is placed with an animal or with a human for the purpose of fighting, wrestling or baiting. This means that an animal fight can be deemed to have taken place, even if both animals are wild animals, as the definition of protected animal under section 2 includes any animal under the control of man, whether on a permanent or temporary basis. Legitimate pest control activities which involve the use of one animal to catch another will not fall within the definition of an animal fight, as the animals are not placed together for the purpose of fighting, wrestling or baiting.