The Centre has released the draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act (Amendment) Bill 2022 for public comment. In the draft legislation, it has proposed to introduce 61 amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act 1960. The draft Bill has included bestiality as a crime under the new category of gruesome cruelty. A provision of a maximum of five-year imprisonment with a minimum 75 thousand rupees fine for killing an animal has been made. The draft Bill also suggests five freedoms of animals including freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition and from fear and distress, under Section 3A. It also proposes to recognise community animals as any animal born in a community for which no ownership has been claimed excluding wild animals. The draft said that the local governments will be responsible for taking care of community animals.
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