486 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



and further, are the authorities of the area from a legal 

 point of view. 



The Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, defines the Local 

 Authorities of England and Wales as the Borough Council 

 and County Council, while for the City of London, and the 

 carrying out of the Act relating to the importation of 

 foreign animals into the county of London, the Local 

 Authority is the Common Council of the City of London. 



The Local Authority for Scotland in certain burghs is 

 the Magistrate and Town Council, while for each county 

 and any burgh not included in the above, the County 

 Council is the recognised authority. 



The Local Authorities for Ireland are the Board of 

 Guardians of the several Poor Law Unions. 



The Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, requires that every 

 person having in his possession or under his charge an 

 animal affected with any of the diseases scheduled under 

 the Act, shall isolate the same, and at once report the 

 existence of the disease to the police of the area. The 

 obligation of notification is imposed on the owner, and not 

 on the professional attendant. Moreover, the law regards 

 the owner or person in charge of the animal as knowing 

 of the existence of disease or illness, and the proof of not 

 knowing, or inability, after the exercise of reasonable 

 diligence, to have obtained that knowledge, lies on the 

 shoulders of the owner or person in charge. 



It is the duty of the police of each area to enforce and 

 execute the Act, and the powers given them are consider- 

 able. A person may be apprehended without a warrant, 

 even if only reasonably suspected of committing an offence 

 against the Act. 



Each Local Authority in England and Wales is compelled 

 to keep at least one veterinary inspector, or as many more 

 as the Board of Agriculture directs. An inspector is not 

 a veterinary inspector, but a layman employed to do the 

 duty of a professional man. An inspector possesses the 

 same powers as a constable has under the Act. He may 

 enter any land, or building, place, vessel, or boat when he 



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