How to Comply: Documents of Identification

Documents of Identification

Documents of identification must contain the following information:

• Full name and address of the stock owner.
• If stock is sold, bartered, given or disposed of on behalf of another person, the name and address of that person must be provided.
• Full name and address of the person to whom the stock was sold, bartered, given or disposed of.
• Date on which the stock was sold, bartered, given or disposed of.
• Certification that such stock is the person’s own property or that he is duly authorised by the owner of the stock to deal with or dispose of it.
• The seller may not allege only verbally to be authorised to trade the stock. Authorisation must be explicit and in writing and must be in the person’s possession.
• The date of authorisation must be recent. An outdated authorisation may not be presented.

In terms of the Stock Theft Act, such a document of identification must contain the following details:

• the breed or type of stock
• the number of stock sold
• the brand mark, tattoo or any other identification mark
• the sex, number and colour of the stock in the case of stock not marked in the prescribed manner, or if the mark is not registered according to any legislation.

The concession with regard to unmarked stock is only applicable if the stock concerned does not have to be marked under the Animal Identification Act.