In order to prevent injury to animals in livestock markets and in transit and to prevent unnecessary abuse and cruelty to animals with resultant loss of profit from the slaughter and sale of such animals, it shall be unlawful in this state to handle or transport such animals in any manner not consistent with humane methods of treatment to such extent as is reasonably possible or in a manner not in compliance with or in violation of the requirements of this article.
(a) All trucks, vans or other conveyances used for the transportation of cattle, sheep, swine or other animals along public roads, streets or highways of Alabama shall, prior to the loading of such animals, be prepared to proceed to their destination without delay and, upon loading, shall proceed by the most direct and usually traveled route.
(b) In the event of a breakdown that would cause a delay of the arrival of the livestock at their destination for more than one hour, the owner of such livestock shall be notified as soon as possible of such breakdown.
All such trucks, vans or other conveyances used for the transporting of the animals described in this article shall be so constructed that the roof of any deck of the conveyance will not touch the highest point of the back of any animal loaded thereon. Any such conveyance which is propelled or drawn by the use of diesel fuel shall have the exhaust so placed that the fumes will not blow directly into the area in which the animals are loaded either when the conveyance is in motion or when it is motionless.
In addition to the authority granted to the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Industries pursuant to Division 1 of Article 4 of this chapter, the said commissioner, with the approval of the State Board of Agriculture and Industries, shall be authorized to promulgate reasonable rules and regulations for the humane treatment of animals held in livestock markets and while being sold or offered for sale in such markets, including the number, kind and size of animals that may be held in pens or areas of stipulated dimensions, regulations for the feeding and care of such animals and for the maintenance of sanitary conditions of the premises.
Sticks, canes or whips shall not be used in such a manner so as to injure an animal. The use of chains, spikes, clubs or other injurious devices are hereby prohibited except under extreme circumstances where it is necessary to prevent injury to persons or other animals; and flappers, other noisemaking devices, electric prods of not more than six volts in strength and other contrivances which have been found to be equally effective shall be used wherever possible for such purposes.
The Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries shall provide for the regular inspection of such livestock markets for the purpose of enforcing the requirements of this section.
(a) Any person who shall violate any of the provisions or requirements of this article, or who fails to perform any duty imposed by the provisions of this article or who violates any rule or regulation duly promulgated under this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than $10.00 nor more than $100.00 and, within the discretion of the court, may also be imprisoned for not more than six months.
(b) The manager, executive officer, owner or other person in charge of any transportation agency or livestock market who knowingly allows any employee, agent or servant to violate any of the provisions or requirements of this article or who knows that any employee, agent or servant is violating any provisions of this article and who does not take immediate steps to correct such violations shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished as provided in subsection (a) of this section.
All vehicles in which animals are transported in Alabama shall be cleaned and disinfected at the expense of the operator thereof after each time of use or before the vehicles are used to transport other animals.
The State Veterinarian, the assistant state veterinarian and the state livestock inspectors may enter upon the premises or into any barns or other buildings where livestock are kept or found in the State of Alabama in the discharge of the duties prescribed in this article.
Any person or persons who shall assault, resist, oppose, prevent, impede or interfere with the State Veterinarian, an assistant state veterinarian or a state livestock inspector in the execution of his or their duties or on account of the execution of his or their duties shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
All conveyances and vehicles of transportation of any kind, whether on the waters of the state, under the waters, on land or in the air, including any animals that may be used in such transportation, whether hitched or not hitched to any vehicle so illegally used, together with all harness and other accessories employed in such illegal transportation, which have been or are used for the illegal conveying of any prohibited liquors or beverages into this state or from one point in the state to another point within the state shall be contraband and shall be forfeited to the State of Alabama, and shall be seized by any sheriff or any other person acting under authority of law in the enforcement of the prohibition laws of the state who becomes cognizant of the facts or who finds liquor being illegally transported as aforesaid in such vehicles or conveyances or on any such animal, and such officer or person shall report the seizure and the facts connected therewith to the district attorney in the county where seizure is made or, in default thereof, to the Attorney General of the state.
In order to condemn and confiscate any of the above-mentioned conveyances or vehicles or animals, it shall not be necessary for the state to show any actual movement of said conveyances, vehicles or animals while loaded with any of said prohibited liquors or beverages; provided, that if said prohibited liquors or beverages shall have been purchased through the state liquor stores or shall bear the stamp of the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, no such conveyance, vehicle or animal shall be confiscated or forfeited unless the court shall be convinced from the evidence that said prohibited liquors or beverages were being transported for the purpose of resale contrary to law, and the fact that the owner or operator of said conveyance or vehicle or animal has a reputation of being a seller of prohibited liquors shall be prima facie evidence that such liquors or beverages were being transported for resale.
Whenever a conveyance, vehicle of any kind or animal used in drawing the same is seized by an officer of the state under the prohibition laws of this state and has been condemned by the circuit court that tried the action, the defendant in the proceedings or the claimant of the property, pending an appeal to the Supreme Court or Court of Civil Appeals, may, upon motion, have the court immediately appraise the value of said property and of the several items separately and shall have the right to execute a bond with two good sureties in double the appraised value of such property or of any item or items thereof, to be approved by the clerk or register of the circuit court, conditioned, in the event the appeal is affirmed or reversed and the conveyance, vehicle, animal or harness is subsequently condemned on another trial, to deliver the property for which a bond is given to the sheriff within 30 days from the date of such affirmance or reversal and subsequent condemnation on another trial, to be disposed of according to law and to pay any difference between any value thereof at the time of the original appraisal and at the time of the delivery to the sheriff, the difference in value to be determined by the circuit court. On the execution of such bond the sheriff shall deliver said property to the defendant or claimant executing such bond.
Upon the failure of the bondsmen to deliver the said property condemned within 30 days after the appeal has been affirmed or within 30 days after condemnation on another trial if the judgment is reversed, the bond shall be returned by the sheriff forfeited, and execution may issue thereon against the principal and sureties for the amount of the value of the property or, in case of the return of the property, for the difference between the value fixed by the court on the original appraisal and the final appraisal when it is returned after the appeal is affirmed.