Animals Act 1971 (Amendment) Bill

Part of Orders of the Day – in the House of Commons at 11:09 am on 14 March 2008.

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Photo of Jonathan R Shaw Jonathan R Shaw Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Marine, Landscape and Rural Affairs) and Minister for the South East), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 11:09, 14 March 2008

Okay. I think that my hon. Friend agrees with me on those circumstances, so we need to clarify the law. That is what we are attempting to do today. In the circumstances involving the unfortunate lady concerned, the law needs to be clarified.

If someone was rambling in the beautiful Brecon Beacons national park, which was chaired most ably by Mr. Williams for a number of years, and an animal caused an injury to that person, and the keeper of that animal could not reasonably have foreseen that the animal would escape from its holding area, my hon. Friend feels that that owner should be liable.