ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
SECTION
1. Short title
2. Interpretation
3. Establishment of pounds
4. Appointment of officials
5. Abolition of pounds
6. Costs: payment of
7. Poundmaster's duty to receive animals
8. Receipt to be given
9. Separate kraals to be maintained
10. Poundmaster's duty to care for animals
11. Penalty for use of impounded animal
12. Details of death or injury of animals to be kept
13. Duty to destroy certain animals
14. Animals trespassing on poundmaster's property
15. Information to be given to owner of animal
16. Publication of fees, etc.
17. Pound-book
18. Pound-book to be open for inspection
19. Extracts of pound-book to District Commissioner
20. Offences in relation to pound-book
21. False entries in pound-book
22. Pound-book available at pound sales
23. Which pound is to be used
24. Animals which may be destroyed
25. Owner may recover animals before impounding on tender
26. Penalty for sale of impounded animal
27. Improper dealing with impounded animals
28. Improper rescue of animals seized
29. Fees for delivering animals to pound
30. Payment of trespass money or damages
31. Trespass on uncultivated ground
32. Double fees in certain cases
33. Detention of animals until trespass money paid
34. Sheep suffering from scab
35. Sheep or goats deemed to be infected with scab
36. Impounding of animals on outspan and aerodrome
37. Mileage and trespass money payable in respect of animals impounded
38. Fees receivable by poundmaster
39. Grazing fees
40. Certain animals to be kept apart
41. Retention of animals
42. Fees for attendance at pound sale
43. Alteration of tariffs
44. Amendment of Schedules
45. Sale of impounded stock
46. Advertisement of sale and notices
47. Copy of notices
48. Frequency of sales
49. Time of sale
50. When animals may not be sold
51. Procedure at sales
52. Terms of payment at sales
53. Special pound fees for bulls
54. Fees payable to Treasury
55. Compensation for damage done
56. Repayment of balance
57. Civil right of action for damage preserved
58. Special procedure relating to impounded donkeys
59. General offences
60. Fees when conflicting tariffs apply
61. Fees for molesting animals
62. Civil action for damages preserved
63. Recovery of penalties
64. General penalty
65. Imprisonment possible in all cases
66. Custody in pound of stolen animals
67. Act not to apply where Matimela Act applies
68. Finance when poundmaster is police officer
69. Limitation in respect of certain townships
First Schedule - Rates for Animals Going to the Pounds
Second Schedule - Trespass on Cultivated Rand
Third Schedule - Trespass on Uncultivated Rand
Fourth Schedule - Pound Fees
Fifth Schedule - Sustenance Fees
Sixth Schedule - Fees for Animals Herded Separately
Proc. 12, 1925,
Proc. 26, 1930,
Proc. 10, 1935,
Proc. 60, 1936,
Proc. 22, 1939,
Cap. 111, 1948,
Proc. 61, 1948,
Proc. 44, 1957,
G.N. 27, 1957,
Cap. 140, 1959,
G.N. 27, 1961,
Law 4, 1963,
HMC Order 1, 1963,
L.N. 84, 1966,
Act 24, 1968,
Act 12, 1970,
Act 41, 1977,
S.I. 124, 1984.
An Act to establish pounds, and to provide for the reception and care of trespassing stock, and for matters incidental thereto.
[Date of Commencement: 17th April, 1925]
This Act may be cited as the Pounds Act.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—
"AC brand" means an AC brand as defined in the Branding of Cattle Act (Cap. 36:02);
"animals" includes horses, mules, donkeys, cattle, sheep, goats, ostriches and pigs;
"aerodrome" means an area of land demarcated by visible beacons and used in connection with aviation in Botswana, provided such area has been fully described by the President in a notice published in the Gazette;
"branded animal" means any animal upon which any AC brand is imprinted and includes the unweaned young of any animal upon which any such brand is imprinted;
"flock" means any number of sheep or goats more than one, which are in one lot, or under the charge of one person;
"proprietor" includes any owner, lessee or occupier of land, and includes the principal chief or headman of any tribal territory, or any person authorised to act on his behalf;
"owner", in relation to any animals, includes any agent of the owner, and any person being in charge or control of the animals on behalf of the owner;
"sufficient fence" means any wall, fence or barrier at least 1,35 m high, through which no animal could pass without breaking;
"police officer" means any superintendent, assistant superintendent, inspector or sub-inspector of the Botswana Police Force.
The District Commissioner of any district, with the approval of the President, shall establish therein such pounds as may be deemed necessary and appoint and dismiss poundmasters.
The District Commissioner of any district, with the approval of the President, may appoint any subordinate officer of the Botswana Police Force to be poundmaster, subject to the provisions of section 68.
The District Commissioner of any district, with the approval of the President, may abolish any pound therein which he deems inexpedient to continue.
The costs of publishing the pound notice and other notices in connection with pounds shall be paid from the general revenue of the Government.
7. Poundmaster's duty to receive animals
(1) Every poundmaster shall receive into his charge all animals tendered at his pound between sunrise and sunset by any proprietor or by the caretaker for any proprietor, or by any person authorised in writing thereto by such proprietor or caretaker, in order to be impounded as having been found trespassing upon the land of such proprietor.
(2) Any poundmaster who refuses or neglects to receive animals tendered as aforesaid shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P10, and shall in addition, be liable for any damage caused to the owner of the said animals, or to any other person, by reason of such refusal or neglect.
(3) Any animal sent to the pound which is suffering from any contagious disease shall be kept separate from all other animals, and the poundmaster shall cause it to be destroyed under the provisions of section 13.
Every poundmaster shall give to every person delivering animals into his charge a written receipt setting forth the number and description of the animals so delivered, and specifying the trespass for which the said animals are reported to be impounded.
9. Separate kraals to be maintained
Every poundmaster shall maintain in good repair, and as far as possible free from all infection, not less than three separate kraals or enclosures-one for ostriches and horses, one for cattle, and one for sheep, goats and pigs:
Provided that the District Commissioner of any district, with the approval of the President, may give permission to the poundmaster of any pound within his district to maintain a lesser number of such enclosures.
10. Poundmaster's duty to care for animals
Every poundmaster shall take proper care of any animal impounded, and shall be responsible to the owner of any such animal for any damage or injury sustained by reason of any neglect or default on the part of himself or any person acting for him or on his behalf, where necessary the poundmaster may cause to be branded with a distinctive brand any animal impounded.
11. Penalty for use of impounded animal
Any poundmaster who rides or otherwise works or uses any impounded animal shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P10.
12. Details of death or injury of animals to be kept
In case of the death or injury of any impounded animal, the poundmaster shall enter in his pound-book a description of such animal and the cause of its death or injury; and the absence of any such entry, or its falsity in any material respect, shall be held to be prima facie proof of the fact that the death or injury in question was due to the default of the poundmaster.
13. Duty to destroy certain animals
(1) It shall be lawful for every poundmaster to destroy, subject to the provisions of this section, any impounded animal suffering from a contagious disease, or likely to prove dangerous to human life, or destructive to other animals impounded.
(2) No such animal shall be destroyed until a justice of the peace, a police officer, or two disinterested landowners have examined it and agree with the poundmaster as to the necessity for its destruction.
This section of the article is only available for our subscribers. Please click here to subscribe to a subscription plan to view this part of the article.