2.—(1) Subject to section 5 of this Act, it shall be unlawful for any person to—

(a) keep a dog unless he holds either—

(i) a dog licence for that dog, or

F3[(ii) a general dog licence relating to the premises where the dog is kept, or,]

F4[(b) take possession, unless he is the holder of a general dog licence relating to the premises where the dog is intended to be kept, of a dog, pursuant to a change of ownership, before the issue of a dog licence in respect of that dog, or,]

(c) transfer possession of a dog pursuant to a change of ownership to any other person unless the other person is the holder of a dog licence for that dog or a general dog licence F5[relating to the premises where the dog is intended to be kept].

(2) The occupier of any premises where a dog is found shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed to be the person who keeps the dog unless he proves that—

(a) he is not the owner of the dog, and

(b) the dog was kept on the premises either—

(i) without his knowledge, or

(ii) by some other person who had a licence for the dog.