Definitions under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act MCQs With Answer

Definitions under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act MCQs With Answer — The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA Act) defines terms essential for ethical animal use in research and pharmacy education. This concise guide focuses on core definitions—animal, owner, experiment, laboratory animal, cruelty, performing animal, euthanasia, and supervisory bodies like CPCSEA and Institutional Animal Ethics Committees—tailored for B. Pharm students. Understanding these legal definitions helps pharmacists design humane experiments, follow institutional rules, and ensure animal welfare in drug testing and teaching. Clear knowledge of PCA Act definitions strengthens ethical decision-making, regulatory compliance, and laboratory responsibility. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. What is the broad legal definition of “animal” under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act?

• Any living creature capable of feeling pain, excluding humans
• Only mammals and birds used in laboratories
• Pets and domesticated animals only
• Wild animals under protection status

Correct Answer: Any living creature capable of feeling pain, excluding humans

Q2. Who is generally considered the “owner” of an animal under the Act?

• The person who built the shelter where the animal lives
• The person in immediate possession or control of the animal
• Only the registered breeder of the animal
• The local municipal authority by default

Correct Answer: The person in immediate possession or control of the animal

Q3. How does the PCA Act commonly describe “cruelty” to animals?

• Any act causing unnecessary pain, suffering, or distress to an animal
• Only intentional killing of animals for sport
• Any legal use of animals in research
• Neglecting to register an animal with authorities

Correct Answer: Any act causing unnecessary pain, suffering, or distress to an animal

Q4. Which body primarily oversees regulation of animal experiments and welfare related to scientific procedures?

• Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association
• Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA)
• Food Safety and Standards Authority
• Ministry of Finance

Correct Answer: Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA)

Q5. What is the primary role of an Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC)?

• To fund research projects using animals
• To approve, monitor, and review animal experimentation at the institution
• To market laboratory animals to researchers
• To replace CPCSEA in regulatory functions

Correct Answer: To approve, monitor, and review animal experimentation at the institution

Q6. Which term best describes animals bred specifically for scientific research?

• Stray animals
• Laboratory animals
• Companion animals
• Performance animals

Correct Answer: Laboratory animals

Q7. In regulatory context, “experiment” usually refers to:

• Any commercial sale of animals
• Research, testing, or teaching procedures involving animals
• Only clinical trials on human volunteers
• Breeding animals for shows

Correct Answer: Research, testing, or teaching procedures involving animals

Q8. What constitutes a “performing animal” under animal welfare definitions?

• An animal kept solely for laboratory use
• An animal trained to perform tricks or acts for entertainment
• An animal used only in agriculture
• An endangered wild species in a sanctuary

Correct Answer: An animal trained to perform tricks or acts for entertainment

Q9. Which of the following is considered a humane endpoint in animal experiments?

• Allowing an animal to reach severe distress without intervention
• Planned termination of the experiment when predefined signs of pain appear
• Never using anesthesia regardless of procedure
• Withholding food permanently to observe effects

Correct Answer: Planned termination of the experiment when predefined signs of pain appear

Q10. Euthanasia, in the context of animal welfare, means:

• Prolonged observation until natural death
• Deliberate ending of an animal’s life in a humane and painless manner
• Performing experiments without ethical approval
• Transporting animals across state lines

Correct Answer: Deliberate ending of an animal’s life in a humane and painless manner

Q11. Which term best captures “pain” as used in animal welfare regulations?

• Only the physical injury caused by cuts
• Physical or mental suffering experienced by animals
• Emotional distress in humans observing animals
• Financial loss related to animal care

Correct Answer: Physical or mental suffering experienced by animals

Q12. Under good laboratory practice and PCA principles, alternatives to animal use refer to:

• Using more animals to ensure statistical power
• Methods like in vitro tests, computer models, and human tissue studies
• Performing the same experiment repeatedly on the same animal
• Outsourcing experiments to other countries

Correct Answer: Methods like in vitro tests, computer models, and human tissue studies

Q13. Which professional is primarily qualified to provide veterinary care or advice for laboratory animals?

• Licensed veterinary surgeon or veterinary doctor
• Pharmaceutical salesman
• Laboratory technician without clinical training
• Administrative staff of the institution

Correct Answer: Licensed veterinary surgeon or veterinary doctor

Q14. Record keeping for animal experiments typically must include:

• Only the title of the research project
• Details of procedures, analgesia/anesthesia, and endpoints
• Names of all students who visited the animal facility
• Financial statements of the research funders

Correct Answer: Details of procedures, analgesia/anesthesia, and endpoints

Q15. Which practice is explicitly discouraged by PCA Act standards for laboratory animals?

• Use of analgesics for painful procedures
• Unnecessary or repetitive infliction of pain without justification
• Use of trained personnel for procedures
• Maintenance of clean housing and enrichment

Correct Answer: Unnecessary or repetitive infliction of pain without justification

Q16. The term “stray animal” in everyday welfare context usually means:

• An animal kept in a registered laboratory colony
• An animal without an identifiable owner, living in public spaces
• A rare species in a protected forest
• Only domesticated animals used in shows

Correct Answer: An animal without an identifiable owner, living in public spaces

Q17. Which statement best reflects institutional responsibility under PCA and CPCSEA guidelines?

• Institutions must ensure welfare standards, trained staff, and IAEC oversight
• Institutions are only responsible for funding research
• Institutions can ignore ethical review for education-focused experiments
• Institutions should outsource all animal care to private vendors with no oversight

Correct Answer: Institutions must ensure welfare standards, trained staff, and IAEC oversight

Q18. “Recognition” by regulatory bodies for an animal facility commonly requires:

• Proof of advertising reach for the facility
• Compliance with housing, hygiene, and ethical oversight standards
• Only a letter from the head of department
• Minimum number of animals kept regardless of care

Correct Answer: Compliance with housing, hygiene, and ethical oversight standards

Q19. Which of the following is a key ethical principle in animal research guidelines?

• Maximize the number of animals used for robust statistics
• Replace, Reduce, Refine (3Rs) to minimize animal suffering
• Use animals without anesthesia to save costs
• Prioritize human convenience over animal welfare

Correct Answer: Replace, Reduce, Refine (3Rs) to minimize animal suffering

Q20. Under animal welfare definitions, “suffering” may include:

• Only immediate physical injury with visible wounds
• Physical pain, distress, fear, or prolonged discomfort
• Only financial burden on the animal owner
• Actions that benefit the animal’s health exclusively

Correct Answer: Physical pain, distress, fear, or prolonged discomfort

Q21. Which action requires prior IAEC approval before execution in an academic laboratory?

• Teaching demonstrations using live vertebrate animals
• Administrative meetings about curriculum
• Non-animal computer-based tutorials
• Purchasing office stationery

Correct Answer: Teaching demonstrations using live vertebrate animals

Q22. Which scenario would likely be classified as “unnecessary suffering” under PCA principles?

• Using analgesia during surgery
• Leaving a wounded animal untreated without justification
• Applying humane euthanasia to a moribund animal
• Providing environmental enrichment to lab animals

Correct Answer: Leaving a wounded animal untreated without justification

Q23. The CPCSEA guidelines emphasize training for personnel to ensure:

• Better advertising of the research facility
• Competence in handling, anesthesia, and humane procedures
• Faster completion of experiments regardless of welfare
• Only administrative reporting compliance

Correct Answer: Competence in handling, anesthesia, and humane procedures

Q24. Which definition best fits “animal house” or facility in a research institute?

• A marketing office for pet supplies
• A dedicated facility for housing, breeding, and caring for laboratory animals
• An outdoor enclosure for wildlife only
• A student dormitory with pets allowed

Correct Answer: A dedicated facility for housing, breeding, and caring for laboratory animals

Q25. Transport of animals for research must adhere to definitions that prioritize:

• Speed and minimal documentation over welfare
• Proper containment, minimal stress, and veterinary requirements
• Transport only at night to avoid inspections
• Using public transport without permits

Correct Answer: Proper containment, minimal stress, and veterinary requirements

Q26. Under PCA-related standards, use of animals in education should be:

• Avoided when validated non-animal methods are available
• Mandatory for every theoretical class
• Done without instructor supervision
• Allowed without any record keeping

Correct Answer: Avoided when validated non-animal methods are available

Q27. Which is a correct example of “refinement” in the 3Rs applied to experiments?

• Increasing animal numbers to improve results
• Using better analgesia and less invasive techniques
• Delaying veterinary care to observe outcomes
• Using wild-caught animals without acclimatization

Correct Answer: Using better analgesia and less invasive techniques

Q28. Legal provisions under animal cruelty laws generally require reporting of:

• Only successful experiments to journals
• Cases of animal abuse, neglect, or illegal trade
• Private pet ownership details to the public
• Proprietary research methods to competitors

Correct Answer: Cases of animal abuse, neglect, or illegal trade

Q29. Which statement best describes the link between PCA definitions and pharmacy practice?

• Pharmacists have no role in ensuring animal welfare during drug testing
• Pharmacists must understand legal definitions to plan ethical preclinical studies
• Only clinicians need to know animal welfare rules
• Definitions are irrelevant for formulation development

Correct Answer: Pharmacists must understand legal definitions to plan ethical preclinical studies

Q30. Which document or approval is most critical before starting an invasive animal experiment at a B. Pharm institution?

• Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC) approval
• Receipt for purchased chemicals
• Student attendance sheet
• Marketing plan for the research outcomes

Correct Answer: Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC) approval

G S Sachin

I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.

Mail- Sachin@pharmacyfreak.com