Explanatory Note
This Order, which applies throughout Great Britain, contains provisions relating to the welfare of poultry during their transport by road, rail, air and water which replace (1) provisions contained in the Conveyance of Live Poultry Order of 1919 which are revoked and (2) provisions contained in the Transit of Animals Order 1973, as amended, which are disapplied by this Order. The Order also implements the provisions of Council Directive 77/489/EEC (OJ No. L200, 8.8.77, p.10) on the protection of animals during international transport which relate to the transport of poultry in respect of which those Orders do not at present make specific provision.
The main provisions of the Order are as follows:—
(a)the transport of poultry on a vessel or aircraft is prohibited unless the poultry are contained in a receptacle (except where poultry are transported on a vehicle which is itself transported on a vessel) (article 4);
(b)requirements are contained in the Order relating to the construction and maintenance of vessels, aircraft and vehicles on which poultry are transported and of receptacles used for the transport of poultry on vessels (article 5);
(c)the loading of poultry into, and the unloading of poultry from, a vessel, aircraft or vehicle and the transport of poultry on a vessel, aircraft or vehicle in a way which causes, or is likely to cause, the poultry injury or unnecessary suffering is prohibited and a duty is imposed on a person in charge of poultry to ensure that, during their journey, certain requirements are complied with, for example that the poultry are sheltered from the weather, have an adequate supply of fresh air and are not overcrowded (article 6);
(d)a duty is imposed on any person in charge of any poultry which are being transported on a vessel, aircraft or vehicle in the course of international transport (being any movement which involves or is intended to involve the crossing of a frontier) to ensure that certain requirements are complied with, for example that suitable food and, if necessary, water is available in adequate quantities and that where a vehicle is used for transporting the poultry it is equipped with a roof which will ensure that the poultry are effectively protected against the weather (article 7);
(e)poultry are required to be separated during transport according to species and sex (subject to certain exceptions) (article 9);
(f)a person who is for the time being in charge of a vehicle used for the transport of poultry by road is required to make a record of such transport and to ensure that, while the vehicle is being used for the transport of poultry, the record is kept in the vehicle (article 13); and the owner or other person in charge of any poultry transported by rail is required to ensure that the receptacle containing the poultry bears a label containing specified information (article 14);
(g)an inspector of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or of the local authority is empowered to require (by notice) any poultry to be unloaded from a vessel, aircraft, vehicle or receptacle or, in the case of poultry waiting to be loaded into a vessel, aircraft, vehicle or receptacle, to prohibit them from being so loaded and an inspector is also empowered, to require (by notice) any poultry to be unloaded from a vessel, aircraft or vehicle and removed to a specified place and detained there pending examination by a veterinary inspector (article 15);
(h)an exemption from the provisions of article 5(2)(e) (labelling of receptacles) and of articles 13 and 14 (records in respect of poultry carried by road and rail) is provided in the case of the transport of any consignment of less than 50 birds and the transport of poultry within the boundaries of a farm (article 16(1));
(i)the provisions of the Transit of Animals (General) Order 1973, as amended, are disapplied in relation to poultry, that is to say domestic fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, guinea-fowls, pheasants, partridges and quails (article 21(2)); and
(j)as a consequence of the revocation of the Conveyance of Live Poultry Order of 1919 (article 22) the Poultry (Exposure for Sale) Order of 1937 is amended so as to protect poultry during their exposure for sale (article 21(1)).