Besvarelse fsva. Island er indhentet hos Icelandic Food And Veterinary Authority (MAST) jf.
følgende:
How is police work on animal abuse/neglect cases organized in Iceland?
Which investigation options are available for animal abuse/neglect cases in Iceland?
Answers for both points.
Investigations are at first handled by the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST).
In an event of an alleged violation of Act No 55/2013 on animal welfare and both
administrative fines and punishment are possible, MAST assesses whether the case should
be reported to the police or it should be ended by an administrative decision at the
authority. If the violations are major, the MAST must refer them to the police. An offense is
considered major if the act is committed in a particularly reprehensible manner or under
circumstances that greatly increase the culpability of the offense. At the same time, at any
stage of the investigation, the authority can refer a case for violations of this Act to the
police for investigation. Compliance should be observed when resolving similar cases.
Violations of regarding Act No 55/2013 on animal welfare are only subject to a police
investigation following a complaint by the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority.
What is the average case processing time for cases regarding animal abuse/neglect in
Iceland?
The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority does not have information of the average
processing time.
Does Iceland have a special prosecutor for animal abuse/neglect cases?
No.
What is the level of punishment for animal abuse/neglect in Iceland?
Punishment may be issued by MAST in the form of administrative fines. They can range
from 10 thousand ISK to 1 million ISK. When determining fines, i.e. considering the
seriousness of the offence, how long it has been going on, the willingness of the offending
party to cooperate and whether it is a repeated offence. MAST is authorized to determine
higher fines if a party has profited from an infringement. The amount of the administrative
fine shall then be determined as up to twice the profit that the party has earned by
violating this law, but never higher than 5 million ISK.
Punishment can also be issued by the court, fines or imprisonment of up to one year. If
violation is major or repeated, the person shall then be imprisoned for up to two years,
unless the offense is considered to be of a major nature, so that it warrants punishment
according to Article 174 of the General Penal Code. Violation can be subject to criminal
liability if they are committed intentionally or negligently.
Does Iceland disqualify the right to keep animals in case of animal abuse or neglect?
If a party has been guilty of a large-scale or repeated violation of Act No 55/2013 on
animal welfare or the regulations based on it, the court may deprive him of the authority to
keep animals in his care, trade in them or manage them in other ways. The same applies if
a party does not have the ability to take care of an animal, cf. Article 10 of Act No