Chapter 191 : The prohibition of cruelty to animals and the prohibition on castration.

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§1

It is forbidden from the Torah to cause pain to any living creature. In fact, one is obliged to save any living creature from pain, even one that is ownerless or even if it belongs to a gentile. However, if they are harmful to man, or are needed by man for medicinial purposes or any other (human) need, it is permitted even to kill them and we are not worried about causing them pain, ¹ for the Torah permits ritual slaughter, ² and therefore it is permitted to pluck feathers ³ from live geese if one doesn't have another feather, except society doesn't do this because it is (considered) cruel.

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1. But only the minimum necessary pain.
2. Shechitah - carried out by a Shochet - and designed to cause minimum pain to the animal.
3. For the purposes of making a quill pen. This was the standard writing instrument in their time.

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§2

Horses that are pulling a waggon, and come to a rough place or a high hill, and are not able to (carry on) pulling without help, it is a religious duty to help even a gentile because of (stopping) distress to animals, so that the gentile (driver) doesn't beat them to make them draw more than they are able.

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§3

It is forbidden to tie together the feet of animal, a beast or a bird in a way that would cause them pain.

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§4

It is forbidden to make a bird sit on eggs which are not of its' species because of cruelty to animals.

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§5

It is forbidden to castrate either a man or an animal, beast or bird, whether clean or unclean, whether in Israel or outside of it, and anyone who castrates receives stripes. ¹ Even to give a cup of root extract ² to a man or to any other male creatures is forbidden.

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1. A whipping with a strip of calfskin, two on the back and one on the front upto a maximum of 39.
2. A herbal drink that causes sterility.

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§6

It is forbidden to tell a gentile to castrate one of our animals. Some (authorities) say that even to sell it to a gentile or give it to him for half the profits, if one knows he will castrate it, is forbidden, because (on) the gentile is also the religious duty not to castrate, so the Jew would be trangressing the commandment. ¹ What if the gentile buyer doesn't castrate (it) himself, but only gives to another gentile to castrate? According to all opinions this is permitted, as an indirect action is allowed.

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1. Not to castrate or cause to be castrated.