The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014

PART 3 N.I. HANDLING OPERATIONS

General requirements N.I.

11.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement or lairaging of animals must ensure that—

(a) every animal is unloaded as soon as possible after its arrival and, if delay in unloading is unavoidable, it is protected from adverse weather conditions and is provided with adequate ventilation;

(b) when unloaded, every animal is protected from adverse weather conditions and is provided with adequate ventilation;

(c) if an animal has been subjected to high temperatures in humid weather, it is cooled by appropriate means;

(d) pending the killing of a sick or disabled animal it is kept apart from any animal which is not sick or disabled; and

(e) no person drags an animal which has been stunned or killed over any other animal which has not been stunned or killed.

Inspection of animals N.I.

12.  The business operator must ensure that the condition and state of health of every animal is inspected at least every morning and evening by the business operator or by a competent person acting on the business operator's behalf.

Animals which have experienced pain or suffering and unweaned animals N.I.

13.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement or lairaging of animals shall ensure that—

(a) any animal which has experienced pain or suffering during transport or following its arrival; and

(b) any animal which is too young to take solid feed

is killed immediately.

Emergency killing N.I.

14.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement or lairaging of animals shall ensure that an animal which is unable to walk is not dragged to its place of killing but is killed where it lies.

Animals delivered other than in containers N.I.

15.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement or lairaging of animals which are delivered other than in a container shall ensure that—

(a) care is taken not to frighten, excite or mistreat an animal;

(b) no animal is overturned;

(c) if an animal is not killed immediately on arrival, it is lairaged; and

(d) no animal is taken to the place of killing unless it can be stunned or killed without delay.

The lifting or dragging of animals N.I.

16.  No person may lift or drag an animal by the head, horns, ears, feet, tail, fleece or any other part of its body in such a way as to cause it unnecessary pain or suffering.

The driving of animals N.I.

17.  No person may lead or drive an animal over ground or floor, the nature or condition of which is likely to cause the animal to slip or fall.

Moving animals with care N.I.

18.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement of animals shall ensure that every animal is moved with care and, when necessary, that animals are led individually.

Instruments to guide animals N.I.

19.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement of animals shall ensure that any instrument intended for guiding an animal is used solely for that purpose and only for short periods on individual animals.

Instruments to make animals move N.I.

20.  No person may use an instrument which administers an electric shock to make an animal move, except that such an instrument which has been designed for the purpose of making an animal move may be used on bovine animals and pigs which refuse to move, provided that—

(a) the use of such an instrument is avoided as far as possible;

(b) the shocks last no more than one second each, are adequately spaced out and are not used repeatedly if the animal fails to respond;

(c) the animal has room ahead of it in which to move; and

(d) such shocks are applied only to the muscles of the hindquarters.

Treatment of animals N.I.

21.  No person may—

(a) strike, or apply pressure to, any particularly sensitive part of the body of an animal;

(b) crush, twist or break the tail of an animal or grasp the eyes of an animal; or

(c) inflict any blow or kick to an animal.

Lairaging of animals N.I.

22.  The business operator and any person engaged in the lairaging of an animal shall ensure that—

(a) an adequate supply of suitable bedding material is provided for all animals kept in the lairage overnight, unless the lairage has a slatted or mesh floor;

(b) an animal which is kept in a lairage has drinking water available to it from appropriate facilities at all times;

(c) a sufficient quantity of wholesome food is provided for an animal on its arrival at the lairage and twice daily thereafter, except that no animal need be fed within 12 hours of the time at which it is killed;

(d) food is provided in a way which will permit the animals to feed without unnecessary disturbance;

(e) an animal which is lairaged untethered is able to lie down, stand up and turn round without difficulty; and

(f) an animal which is lairaged tethered is able to lie down and stand up without difficulty.

Handling of animals delivered in containers N.I.

23.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement of animals delivered in containers shall ensure that—

(a) any container in which an animal is transported is handled with care and is not thrown, dropped or knocked over;

(b) where possible, the container is loaded and unloaded horizontally and mechanically;

(c) any animal delivered in a container with a perforated or flexible bottom is unloaded with particular care in order to avoid injury; and

(d) where appropriate, animals are unloaded from containers individually.

Killing of animals delivered in containers N.I.

24.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement or handling of animals delivered in containers shall ensure that—

(a) animals which have been transported in containers are killed as soon as possible; and

(b) if killing is delayed and if it is necessary—

(i) the animals have drinking water available to them from appropriate facilities at all times; and

(ii) a sufficient quantity of wholesome food is provided for the animals on arrival at the lairage and twice daily thereafter, except that no animal need be fed within 12 hours of the time at which it is killed.