{
  "node_id": "uk-animal-welfare-act-2006-section-4-unnecessary-suffering",
  "title": "UK Animal Welfare Act 2006 Section 4 - Unnecessary Suffering",
  "domain": "Agriculture & Agritech",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "last_updated": "2026-06-04",
  "bluf": "A person commits an offence under Section 4 if an act or failure to act causes a protected animal to suffer, the person knew or ought reasonably to have known the act would cause suffering, and the suffering is unnecessary. A separate offence applies where the suffering is caused by another and the responsible person permitted it or failed to take reasonable preventive steps. Courts assess necessity by reference to avoidability, lawful compliance, legitimate purpose, proportionality, and the standard of a reasonably competent and humane person. Humane destruction is excluded from the offence.",
  "paywall": {
    "status": "LOCKED",
    "unlock_cost_usd": "0.01",
    "skyfire_id": "41779894-ece2-4163-9761-b3b1b76e19b0"
  },
  "crosswalks": {
    "_available_keys": [
      "direct_causation_offence",
      "responsible_person_omission_offence",
      "five_factor_necessity_test",
      "service_animal_carve_out_sections_3a_3c",
      "humane_destruction_exclusion",
      "protected_animal_definition_section_2",
      "penalties_under_section_32",
      "additional_remedies_under_section_33_to_36"
    ],
    "_note": "Full crosswalk values included in vault response"
  },
  "dependencies": [
    "uk-animal-welfare-act-2006-section-9-duty-person-responsible-ensure-welfare"
  ],
  "primary_citations_count": 8
}