Section 1 broadly provides for the abolition of common law torts relating to cattle trespass and to the old common law scienter action with respect to animals which are ferae naturae or otherwise known to be vicious, as well as the abrogation of statutory provisions relating to civil liability in the Dogs Act 1906.

The provisions largely codify the pre-existing common law rules.

The leading case on the Animals Act 1971 is the House of Lords decision in Mirvahedy v Henley [2003] UKHL 16.

In that case Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead commented, "Unfortunately the language of section 2(2) is ... opaque.

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