1. Short title, extent and commencement.―(1) This Act may be called the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
(2) It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the
Official Gazette, appoint, and different dates1 may be appointed for different States and for the
different provisions contained in this Act.
2. Definitions.―In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,―
(a) “animal” means any living creature other than a human being;
1. 1st April, 1961, vide Notification No.S.O.823, dated the 1st April, 1961, in respect of the State of Punjab and the Union
territory of Andaman and Nicobar Island, see Gazette of India 1961, Part II, sec. 3(ii).
1st September, 1961, vide Notification No. S.O. 2061, dated the 25th August, 1961, for Chapters I and II in respect of the
States of Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala, Madras, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Mysore, Orissa, Uttar
Pradesh and West Bengal and the Union territories of Delhi, Manipur and Tripura, see Gazette of India, 1961, Part II,
sec. 3(ii).
2nd October, 1961, vide Notification No. S.O. 2286, dated 15th September 1961, Chapters I and II in respect of the Union
territory of Himachal Pradesh, Gazette of India, Part II, sec. 3(ii).
26th January, 1962, vide Notification No. S.O. 21, dated 28th December, 1961, provisions of Chapters I and II in respect
of the State of Rajasthan, see Gazette of India, Part II, sec. 3(ii).
15th July, 1963, vide Notification No. S.O. 2000, dated 11th July, 1963, Chapter IV in respect of the States of Assam,
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala, Madras, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Mysore, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
and West Bengal and in respect of the Union territories of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura, see Gazette of
India, Part II, sec. 3(ii).
20th November, 1963, vide Notification No. S.O. 3160, dated 29th October, 1963, Chapters III and VI in respect of the
States of Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala, Madras, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Mysore, Orissa,
Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and in respect of the Union territories of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura,
see Gazette of India. Part II, sec. 3(ii).
24th May, 1977, vide Notification No. S.O. 1902, dated 24th May 1977, provisions of Chapter V in respect of all the
States and the Union territories to which this Act extends (except the State of Jammu and Kashmir).
This Act has been extended to Goa, Daman and Diu by Reg. 11 of 1963, s. 3 and Sch. and comes into force in Pondicherry
vide Reg. 7 of 1963, s. 3 and Sch.I (w.e.f. 1-10-1963). and brought into force in Dadra and Nagar Haveli by Reg. 6 of
1963, s. 2 and Sch. I (w.e.f. 1-7-1965).
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[(b) “Board” means the Board established under section 4, and as reconstituted from time to
time under section 5A;]
(c) “captive animal” means any animal (not being a domestic animal) which is in captivity or
confinement, whether permanent or temporary, or which is subjected to any appliance or
contrivance for the purpose of hindering or preventing its escape from captivity or confinement or
which is pinioned or which is or appears to be maimed;
(d) “domestic animal” means any animal which is tamed or which has been or is being
sufficiently tamed to serve some purpose for the use of man or which, although it neither has been
nor is being nor is intended to be so tamed, is or has become in fact wholly or partly tamed;
(e) “local authority” means a municipal committee, district board or other authority for the
time being invested by law with the control and administration of any matters within a specified
local area;
(f) “owner”, used with reference to an animal, includes not only the owner but also any other
person for the time being in possession or custody of the animal, whether with or without the
consent of the owner;
(g) “phooka” or “doom dev” includes any process of introducing air or any substance into the
female organ of a milch animal with the object of drawing off from the animal any secretion of
milk;
(h) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(i) “street” includes any way, road, lane, square, court, alley, passage or open space, whether a
thoroughfare or not, to which the public have access.
3. Duties of persons having charge of animals.―It shall be the duty of every person having the
care or charge of any animal to take all reasonable measures to ensure the well-being of such animal
and to prevent the infliction upon such animal of unnecessary pain or suffering.