H E Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al Busaidi, Minister of Interior, has issued a ministerial decision (No. 164/2021) amending some provisions of the controls and confinement of stray animals. 

The decision effectively brings down the fines imposed on animal owners with regard to the older decision. 

Owners would have to pay a fine up to RO20 if their animals were found straying, grazing in cities and residential places, the latest decision says. The fine will be doubled in the event of a repeat violation. The earlier fine for stray animals was RO100. 

The owners of the stray or neglected animals have to bear the ‘care charges’ upon a claim for their release. The fee for this is RO15 per day for every camel, cow or a horse, RO5 per day for every head of goat, sheep, or any other animal.

The decision was issued on May 24 and came into effect from the next day of its publication in the Official Gazette.

As per the earlier decision, the ‘care charges’ were RO150 per day for every camel or a horse, RO50 per day for every head of a cow and RO10 per day for each goat, sheep, or other animals.