AN ACT

ΤΟ PROVIDE FOR THE STUDY AND SUPPRESSION OF THE DISEASE KNOWN AS "ANEMIA" IN PORTO RICO.

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico:

SECTION 1.-The Governor is hereby authorized to take such measures as in his judgment may be most expedient to encourage the study and cure of the disease known as "tropical anemia" in Porto Rico.

SECTION 2.-For the prosecution of the work, the construction of field hospitals, the employment of temporary help, purchase of medicines, instruments, laboratory supplies, and other incidental expenses, the sum of five thousand dollars is hereby appropriated out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, the said sum to be disbursed in such manner and for such purposes as the Governor may direct.

SECTION 3.-This Act shall take effect from and after its passage.

Approved, February 16, 1904.

AN ACT

TO PREVENT CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico: SECTION 1.-Any person who shall overdrive, overload, torture, cruelly beat or unjustifiably injure, maim or mutilate any animal, whether wild or tame, and whether belonging to himself or to another, or who deprives

any animal of necessary sustenance, food or drink, or neglects or refuses to furnish it such sustenance or drink, or causes, procures or permits any animal to be overdriven, overloaded, tortured, cruelly beaten or unjustifiably injured, maimed or mutilated, or to be deprived of necessary food or drink, or who wilfully sets on foot, instigates, engages in or in any way furthers any act of cruelty to any animal, or any act tending to produce such cruelty, shall be fined in a sum not exceeding fifty dollars, or imprisonment not exceeding thirty days, or both penalties in the discretion of the court.

SECTION 2.-Any person being the owner or possessor, or having charge or custody of a maimed, diseased or disabled animal, who abandons such animal or leaves it to die in a street or public place, or who allows it to lie in a public street or public place more than three hours after he receives notice that it is so disabled, shall be punished by fine not exceeding fifty dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.

SECTION 3.-Any person who, having impounded or confined any animal, refuses or neglects to supply to any such animal during such confinement, necessary food and water for its sustenance, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days, or by both penalties in the discretion of the court.

SECTION 4.-Any person who carries, or causes to be carried in or upon any vessel or vehicle, or otherwise, any animal in a cruel or inhuman manner, or so as to produce torture, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days, or by both penalties in the discretion of the court.

SECTION 5.-Any person who sets on foot, instigates, promotes or carries on, or does any act as assistant, umpire or principal, or in any way aids in or engages in the furtherance of any fight between cocks or other birds,

or dogs or bulls or other animals premeditated by any person owning or having custody of such birds or animals, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days, or by both penalties in the discretion of the court.

SECTION 6.-The possession by any driver or person in charge, custody or control of any horse, horses or oxen, of any pointed rod, pointed metal gad or instrument, except spurs, the points of the rowels of which do not exceed three millimeters in length, designed for use in driving or prodding such horse, horses or oxen, or any instrument the use of which would be calculated to torture or maltreat such horse, horses or oxen, shall be presumptive evidence of guilt on the part of such driver or other person having such charge, custody or control of such horse, horses or oxen, and shall constitute prima facie cause for the conviction of such person under the terms of this Act, upon the trial of such person.

SECTION 7.-The driver or person having the charge or control of any cart drawn by oxen shall in all cases walk in front of the animals.

SECTION 8.-A suitable support for the tongue or pole of ox-carts shall be provided, and shall be used at all times when the oxen are not in motion.

SECTION 9.-No horse or mule shall be employed in drawing any load on any road of the first or second class, or on the paved streets of any city, unless properly shod, excepting horses or mules attached to light vehicles, such as buggies and sulkies.

SECTION 10. The practice of fastening one animal to another by the tail is hereby forbidden.

SECTION 11.-The load to be carried in or on any cart or wagon shall not exceed the weight as hereinafter specified: For small two-wheel cart drawn by one sixpound horse or mule, eight hundred pounds; for small two-wheel cart drawn by a nine-hundred pound horse,

one thousand six hundred pounds; for small two-wheel cart drawn by an American mule, one thousand eight hundred pounds; for two-wheel carts drawn by two six-hundred pound horses or mules, one thousand six hundred pounds, with six hundred pounds more for every additional animal; carts drawn by a yoke or pair of oxen shall carry a load not exceeding two thousand five hundred pounds. When the transportation is made on other than cart roads, and should the carts be drawn by two yokes of oxen, they may carry a double load. On cart roads three thousand pounds will be permitted for a yoke of oxen, and carts drawn by two yokes of oxen, four thousand pounds.

A cart road as herein specified shall be considered to be a road of the first or second class, as classified by the Bureau of Public Works. For a four-wheel wagon drawn by a team or pair of six-hundred pound horses or mules the load shall not exceed two thousand pounds, with an allowance of seven hundred pounds for every additional animal. For a four-wheel wagon drawn by nine-hundred pound horses the weight shall not exceed three thousand six hundred pounds. A four-wheel cart drawn by one or more yoke of oxen shall not carry a load exceeding four thousand pounds.

SECTION 12.-Drivers of public carriages, drawn by animals, shall not carry in their vehicles more than three adult persons, when the carriage is drawn by a single animal; more than six when drawn by two animals; more than ten if the vehicle is a small omnibus with two animals, and more than fourteen if it is a large omnibus. Any violation of sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, shall be punished by a fine not exceed ng fifty dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

SECTION 13.-The officers and members of the Insular Police force and all other peace officers are hereby directed to carry out the provisions of this Act, and to cause the

prompt arrest and prosecution of every case within the terms of this Act which shall be witnessed by such officers, or which shall be called to the attention of any such officer by any reputable citizen or person, and any officer aforesaid who shall fail or neglect to enforce the provisions of this Act, when the violation thereof has been committed in the sight of such officer, or when a violation thereof has been called to the attention of such officer by any reputable person, shall, upon proof of such neglect, be removed from office or dismissed from the position which he shall hold.

SECTION 14.-When any fine shall have been imposed and collected by any court, pursuant to the provisions of this Act, upon complaint, duly proven, made by any agent or member of any society for the prevention of cruelty to animals organized in accordance with law, one-half of the amount of such fine shall be turned over by the judge to the respective society, and such funds shall be devoted to the lawful purposes of said society.

SECTION 15-All laws, orders or decrees, or parts thereof, in conflict with this Act, are hereby repealed.

SECTION 16-This Act shall be in force from and after its passage.

Approved, March 10, 1904.