Section 300 - Stray cattle

(1) Where in a town, cattle are found at large in a public place without a person in charge of the cattle, a peace officer or health officer may seize and impound the cattle in a common pound, and may detain them until the owner pays to the Accountant-General’s Department a sum of money equivalent to the expenses of keeping them at rates not exceeding one penalty unit a day for each head of swine, sheep, or goats and two penalty units a day for each head of other cattle.

(2) Where the expenses are not paid within four days after impounding, the pound keeper, or any other person appointed by the health officer for the purpose, may sell the cattle, after giving six days’ notice of the sale or of the notice having been left at the dwelling-house of the owner if known.

(3) Where the owner is not known, the notice shall be conspicuously posted in a usual place for the posting of public notices in the town where the cattle were seized.

(4) The proceeds of the sale, after deducting the expenses, shall be paid to the Accountant-General, and be paid to the owner of the cattle on demand made not later than twelve months after the sale.

(5) The owner and a person required to be in charge of cattle which are found at large in a public place without a person in charge of the cattle commits a criminal offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding five penalty units.

(6) This section so far as regards sheep and goats applies only to the towns of Aburi, Accra, Agona Swedru, Akim-Oda, Axim, Bekwai, Bibiani, Bolgatanga, Cape Coast, Christianborg, Dunkwa, Elmina, Ho, Hohoe, Keta, Kibi, Koforidua, Kumasi, Mampong-Ashanti, Nsawam, Obuasi, Saltpond, Sekondi-Takoradi, Sunyani, Tamale, Tarkwa, Tema, Wa, Winneba and Yendi, and to any other town directed by the Minister by executive instrument.