Animal Health Act 1981

19 Destruction of foxes etc. on rabies infection

(1) An order under section 17 above prescribing the cases in which areas are to be declared to be infected with rabies may include provision for the destruction in an area declared to be so infected, by persons authorised in accordance with the order, of foxes and such other wild mammals as may be prescribed by the order (not in either case being animals held in captivity).

(2) An order made by virtue of subsection (1) above may provide for—

(a) authorising any person to enter any land (other than a dwellinghouse) for the purpose of carrying out, or of deciding whether to carry out, the destruction there of animals in accordance with the order;

(b) authorising the erection of fences or other obstacles to restrict the movement of animals into and out of an area where destruction is carried out;

(c) regulating the ownership and disposal of the carcases of animals destroyed in accordance with the order;

(d) prohibiting any person from obstructing the destruction of animals in accordance with the order and from interfering with the carcases of animals destroyed;

(e) authorising the use of methods of destruction which would otherwise be unlawful.

(3) An order made by virtue of subsection (1) shall include provision as to the steps to be taken to inform the occupier of any land where it is proposed that animals should be destroyed, and other persons who may be there, of the proposal and of the methods of destruction to be used.