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1.The competent authority responsible for a depopulation operation shall establish an action plan to ensure compliance with the rules laid down in this Regulation, before the commencement of the operation.
In particular, the stunning and killing methods planned and the corresponding standard operating procedures for ensuring compliance with the rules laid down in this Regulation shall be included in the contingency plans required under [F1retained EU] law on animal health, on the basis of the hypothesis established in the contingency plan concerning the size and the location of suspected outbreaks.
2.The competent authority shall:
(a)ensure that such operations are carried out in accordance with the action plan referred to in paragraph 1;
(b)take any appropriate action to safeguard the welfare of the animals in the best available conditions.
3.For the purposes of this Article and in exceptional circumstances, the competent authority may grant derogations from one or more of the provisions of this Regulation where it considers that compliance is likely to affect human health or significantly slow down the process of eradication of a disease.
[F24.By 30 June each year, each competent authority shall publish a report on the depopulation operations carried out during the previous year.]
[F35.The Appropriate Minister may publish from time to time guidelines for the drawing up and implementation of depopulation action plans.]
6.Where appropriate, in order to take account of the information collected by the ADNS, [F4the appropriate authority may, by regulations, make provision for derogating from the reporting obligation laid down in paragraph 4].
Textual Amendments
F1Words in Art. 18(1) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Animal Welfare (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/802), regs. 1, 4(6)(a); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F2Art. 18(4) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Animal Welfare (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/802), regs. 1, 4(6)(b); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F3Art. 18(5) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Animals (Legislative Functions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/588), regs. 1, 9(11)(a) (with reg. 12); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F4Words in Art. 18(6) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Animals (Legislative Functions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/588), regs. 1, 9(11)(b) (with reg. 12); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
In the case of emergency killing, the keeper of the animals concerned shall take all the necessary measures to kill the animal as soon as possible.