The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (S.R.1996 No. 558) (“the 1996 Regulations”). The 1996 Regulations give effect to Council Directive 93/119/EC on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing (O.J. No. L340, 31.12.93, p.21). The 1996 Regulations govern the movement, lairaging, restraint, stunning, slaughter and killing of animals bred or kept for the production of meat, skin, fur or other products.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 “Council Regulation” came into force on 8 December 2009 and will be directly applicable to every member State from 1 January 2013 (O.J. L303, 18.11.2009 p.1). This Council Regulation will replace Council Directive 93/119/EC.

These Regulations make interim changes to the 1996 Regulations, to facilitate industry flexibility and implementation of key aspects of the Council Regulation prior to 1 January 2013.

These Regulations insert a regulation 26A in the 1996 Regulations to allow a prosecution to be brought for a summary offence if the information is laid before the end of three years from the date the offence was committed and before the end of twelve months from the date on which evidence sufficient to justify proceedings is brought to the prosecutor’s knowledge.

Schedule 7 of the 1996 Regulations is amended to permit the use of biphasic carbon dioxide to kill birds in a slaughter house or knacker’s yard which gives effect to provisions made under Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing.

Schedule 7A of the 1996 Regulations is amended to extend the range of birds that can be killed by exposure to gas on the premises where they have been kept to include all domestic fowl, turkeys, pheasants, quail, partridges, geese, ducks or guinea fowl. The owner of the birds must give the Department a minimum of five working days’ notice before killing birds in this manner. Prior notification is not required if the Department authorises the killing of such birds by gas.

A regulatory impact assessment of the effect that this statutory rule will have on the costs of business is available from Animal Identification, Legislation and Welfare Division of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Room 916, Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SB.