Article 14 of the Saudi Agriculture Law
المادة 14 من نظام الزراعة
The Ministry regulates animal resources, including licensing activities and shops, biosecurity conditions, import and export, taking custody of stray animals, and registering, tagging and immunizing animals.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تتولى الوزارة تنظيم الثروة الحيوانية، وإدارتها، وتنميتها، والإشراف والرقابة عليها، والعمل على حمايتها، ولها -في سبيل ذلك- ما يأتي:
1- ترخيص أنشطة الثروة الحيوانية.
2- إصدار الشروط اللازمة للأمن الحيوي للمشاريع المتعلقة بالكائنات الفطرية، والثروة الحيوانية.
3- رصد المخاطر المتعلقة بالثروة الحيوانية وتقويمها، والعمل على وقايتها من جميع الأمراض والأوبئة والأخطار الأخرى.
4- الترخيص لمحلات تداول أو بيع أنواع الثروة الحيوانية، والإشراف عليها.
5- تنظيم الاستيراد والتصدير لأنواع الثروة الحيوانية الحية، وإصدار فسوحات الحجر لدخول الكائنات الفطرية.
6- إصدار الموافقات لاستيراد منتجات الثروة الحيوانية غير المصنعة، وتصديرها.
7- المحافظة على سلالات الثروة الحيوانية المحلية، وتوثيقها، وتطويرها.
8- المحافظة على الثروة الحيوانية، وحمايتها.
9- التحفظ على الثروة الحيوانية المهملة أو السائبة أو المعرضة للإيذاء أو الخطر، والتصرف بها، وفق الإجراءات النظامية المتبعة.
10- تسجيل جميع أنواع الثروة الحيوانية وترقيمها وتحصينها؛ بالطريقة التي تحددها الوزارة، ويشمل ذلك الكائنات الفطرية.
11- تصنيف المنشآت البيطرية، وفقًا لما تحدده اللائحة.
12- تقييم اللقاحات البيطرية المستخدمة بالتنسيق مع الجهات ذات العلاقة.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 14 explained in plain English
This article sets out the Ministry's powers over animal resources, which under Article 1 are all kinds of domesticated, pet and tamed animals such as camels, horses, cattle, sheep, birds and bees.
For the purpose of regulating, developing and protecting them, the Ministry may:
- License activities in animal resources.
- Issue biosecurity conditions for projects relating to wild organisms and animal resources.
- Monitor and assess risks, and protect animal resources from diseases and epidemics.
- License shops that trade in or sell kinds of animal resources, and supervise them.
- Regulate the import and export of live animals, and issue quarantine clearances for the entry of wild organisms.
- Issue approvals for importing and exporting unprocessed animal resource products.
- Preserve, document and develop local strains.
- Preserve and protect animal resources.
- Take custody of neglected or stray animals or those exposed to harm or danger, and dispose of them in accordance with the established legal procedures.
- Register all kinds of animal resources, and tag and immunize them, in the manner the Ministry specifies, including wild organisms.
- Classify veterinary facilities according to the Implementing Regulations.
- Assess veterinary vaccines in coordination with the relevant authorities.
Items 9 and 10 matter most to livestock owners in practice: an animal left stray or neglected or exposed to harm may be taken into custody by the Ministry, and registering, tagging and immunizing animals is done in the manner the Ministry specifies. Article 15 follows, requiring the authorities and those concerned to cooperate with the Ministry in this.
If you have a specific situation, it is best to consult a lawyer specializing in agricultural and environmental laws.
Practical example
A camel owner in the Al-Jawf region leaves some of his camels stray near the public road. The Ministry may take custody of them and dispose of them in accordance with the established legal procedures, and he must also register, tag and immunize his camels in the manner the Ministry specifies.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 14 of the Saudi Agriculture Law
Must livestock be tagged and registered?
Yes. The Ministry may register all kinds of animal resources, and tag and immunize them in the manner it specifies.
What does the Ministry do with stray animals?
It may take custody of neglected or stray animals, or those exposed to harm or danger, and dispose of them in accordance with the established legal procedures.
Does a shop selling birds or animals need a license?
Yes. The Ministry may license shops that trade in or sell kinds of animal resources, and supervise them.
More articles on Livestock
- Article 15
The article requires government bodies and everyone connected with animal resources to cooperate with the Ministry, by providing information, applying measures, reporting diseases and mandatory registration and tagging.
تلتزم الجهات الحكومية المعنية وكل ذي صلة بالثروة الحيوانية أو منتجاتها أو مخلفاتها بالتعاون مع الوزارة بجميع السبل والوسائل الممكنة في سبيل تمكينها من القيام با
- Article 16
The Ministry follows diseases and epidemics affecting agricultural sector resources in other countries, and the Kingdom's representations abroad inform it of the information they have as quickly as possible.
1- تتابع الوزارة الأمراض والأوبئة التي تصيب ثروات القطاع الزراعي في الدول الأخرى. 2- تبلغ ممثليات المملكة في الخارج الوزارة -وفقًا للإجراءات المتبعة وفي أسرع وق
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.