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Animal Health Act 1981

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Animal Health Act 1981 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 18 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

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  1. Introductory Text

  2. Part I General

    1. General powers of Ministers to make orders and to authorise regulations

      1. 1. General powers of Ministers to make orders.

      2. 2. Local authority regulations.

    2. Eradication and prevention of disease

      1. 3. Expenditure for eradication.

      2. 4. Offences as to s. 3.

      3. 5. Veterinary services and therapeutic substances.

      4. 6. Eradication areas and attested areas.

      5. 6A. Biosecurity guidance

      6. 6B. Biosecurity compliance

    3. Cleansing and movement

      1. 7. Cleansing and disinfection.

      2. 8. Movement generally.

    4. Transport by sea and air

      1. 9. Prohibition in specific cases.

      2. 10. Importation.

      3. 10A. Annual review of import controls

      4. 11. Export to member States.

      5. 12. Export quarantine stations.

    5. Control of dogs, and preventive treatment of sheep

      1. 13. Orders as to dogs.

      2. 14. Prevention of sheep scab.

  3. Part II Disease

    1. Outbreak

      1. 14A. National contingency plan

      2. 14B. Duty to consider vaccination

      3. 15. Separation and notice.

      4. 16. Treatment after exposure to infection.

      5. 16A. Slaughter of vaccinated animals

    2. Infection

      1. 17. Powers as to infected places and areas.

      2. 18. Other provisions as to infected places and areas.

      3. 19. Destruction of foxes etc. on rabies infection.

      4. 20. Additional provisions under s. 17 on rabies infection.

      5. 21. Destruction of wild life on infection other than rabies.

      6. 22. Powers of entry etc. for s. 21.

      7. 23. Orders as to infected places and areas.

      8. 24. Rabies: quarantine and virus control.

      9. 25. Movement of diseased or suspected animals.

      10. 26. Pleuro-pneumonia or foot-and-mouth disease found in transit.

      11. 27. Exclusion of strangers.

      12. 28. Seizure of diseased or suspected animals.

      13. 28A. Deliberate infection

      14. 28B. Deliberate infection: disqualification

    3. Risk to human health

      1. 29. Control of zoonoses.

      2. 30. Provisions supplemental to s. 29.

    4. Slaughter

      1. 31. Slaughter in certain diseases.

      2. 32. Slaughter in other diseases.

      3. 32A. Slaughter to prevent spread of disease

      4. 32B. Disease control (slaughter) protocol

      5. 32C. Protocol: exercise of powers

      6. 32D. Explanation of preventive slaughter

      7. 33. Additional staff and expenses.

      8. 34. Slaughter and compensation generally.

    5. Carcases etc. liable to spread disease

      1. 35. Seizure and disposal of carcases etc.

      2. 36. Compensation for seizure.

  4. Part 2A Scrapie

    1. Sheep genotypes

      1. 36A. Power of Secretary of State to specify sheep genotypes

    2. Genetically susceptible sheep

      1. 36B. Identification of genetically susceptible sheep

      2. 36C. Restrictions on breeding from genetically susceptible sheep

      3. 36D. Appeals

    3. Enforcement

      1. 36E. Secretary of State’s powers of enforcement

      2. 36F. Offences

    4. Power of entry

      1. 36G. Power of entry

      2. 36H. Warrants

      3. 36I. Supplementary

      4. 36J. Offences

    5. General

      1. 36K. Compensation

      2. 36L. Orders and Regulations

      3. 36M. Interpretation

  5. Part III Welfare and Export

    1. Care

      1. 37. Prevention of suffering.

      2. 38. Food and water.

    2. Export

      1. 39. Export of animals generally.

    3. Export of horses other than those defined as ponies

      1. 40. Restriction on export of horses.

    4. Export of horses defined as ponies

      1. 41. Restriction on export of ponies.

      2. 42. Restriction on export of registered ponies.

      3. 43. Regulation of export of ponies.

    5. Other provisions as to export of horses

      1. 44. Slaughter on examination of inspection.

      2. 45. Marking of horses certified for export.

      3. 46. Slaughter of injured horses.

      4. 47. Exemption of thoroughbreds in transit.

      5. 48. Certificates.

      6. 49. Enforcement and interpretation.

  6. Part IV Local Authorities

    1. 50. Local authorities for purposes of this Act.

    2. 51. Local authorities and their districts.

    3. 52. Inspectors and other officers.

    4. 53. Borrowing powers.

    5. 54. Provision of wharves etc.

    6. 55. Power to acquire land.

    7. 56. Public facilities for sheep dipping.

    8. 57. Burial of carcases washed ashore.

    9. 58. Regulations.

    10. 59. Default.

  7. Part V Enforcement, Offences and Proceedings

    1. Enforcement

      1. 60. Duties and authorities of constables.

      2. 61. Powers of entry and search in relation to rabies offences

      3. 62. Entry and search in exercise of powers to seize animals

      4. 62A. Slaughter: power of entry

      5. 62B. Slaughter: warrants

      6. 62C. Slaughter: supplementary

      7. 62D. Tests and samples: power of entry

      8. 62E. Tests and samples: warrants

      9. 62F. Tests and samples: supplementary

      10. 63. General powers of inspectors.

      11. 64. Powers of inspectors as to poultry.

      12. 64A.Powers of inspectors relating to Community obligations

      13. 65. Power to detain vessels and aircraft.

      14. 65A. Inspection of vehicles

      15. 66. Refusal and obstruction.

      16. 66A. Refusal and obstruction of inspector

    2. Offences as to licences, declarations, certificates and instruments

      1. 67. Issue of false licences etc.

      2. 68. Issue of licences etc. in blank.

      3. 69. Falsely obtaining licences etc.

      4. 70. Alteration of licences etc.

      5. 71. Other offences as to licences.

    3. Offences generally

      1. 71A. Prosecutions: time limit

      2. 72. Offences made and declared by and under this Act.

      3. 73. General offences.

    4. Further provisions as to punishment of offences

      1. 74. Liability under the customs and excise Acts.

      2. 75. Penalties for certain summary offences

      3. 76. Certain importation offences triable either summarily or on indictment.

    5. Proceedings

      1. 77. Money recoverable summarily.

      2. 78. Appeal.

      3. 79. Evidence and procedure.

  8. Part VI Supplemental

    1. Reports and information

      1. 80. Yearly return to Parliament.

      2. 81. Reports to Minister.

      3. 82. Information from Agricultural Marketing Boards.

    2. Notices, fees, and exemption from stamp duty

      1. 83. Form and service of instruments.

      2. 84. Fees.

      3. 85. Exemption from stamp duty.

    3. Interpretation, functions, and orders etc.

      1. 86. Ministers and their functions.

      2. 87. Meaning of “animals” and “poultry”.

      3. 88. Meaning of “disease”.

      4. 89. Other interpretation provisions.

      5. 90. Application to hovercraft.

      6. 91. Orders etc.

    4. Scotland and Northern Ireland

      1. 92. General application to Scotland.

      2. 93. Communications to and from Northern Ireland.

    5. Miscellaneous provisions as to operation

      1. 94. Transitional.

      2. 95. Savings.

      3. 96. Consequential amendments and repeals.

      4. 97. Short title, extent, and commencement.

  9. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      Regulation of Manufacture of and Other Matters Connected with Veterinary Therapeutic Substances

      1. Substances to which this Schedule applies

        1. 1.(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-paragraph (2) below, this...

      2. Power to make orders as to substances to which this Schedule applies

        1. 2.(1) The Ministers may make orders for the following purposes—...

      3. Licences to manufacture

        1. 3.(1) The following provisions shall have effect with respect to...

      4. Licences to import

        1. 4.The issue of a licence to import a substance the...

      5. Therapeutic substances to which this Schedule applies

        1. 5.The therapeutic substances mentioned in paragraph 1(1)(a) above are—

      6. Offences under this Schedule

        1. 6.A person who— (a) contravenes or fails to comply with...

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      Specific Matters with Respect to Which Provision may be made in Orders Under Section 10

      1. 1.The conditions to be observed before, during and after importation....

      2. 2.Exemptions from provisions of the order by means of licences,...

      3. 3.The prohibition of the importation of animals or other things...

      4. 4.Landing and quarantine of animals and other things.

      5. 4A.The premises at which animals and other things are to...

      6. 5.Seizure, detention and treatment of animals and other things.

      7. 6.Slaughter of animals and destruction of other things.

      8. 7.Cleansing and disinfection.

      9. 8.Marking, testing and use of animals and other things.

      10. 9.Movement of persons and of animals and other things.

      11. 10.Recovery of costs.

      12. 11.Inspection.

      13. 12.Entitlement to compensation and the determination, subject to the Treasury’s...

    3. SCHEDULE 2A

      Specified diseases

      1. Foot-and-mouth disease Swine vesicular disease Peste des petits ruminants Lumpy...

    4. SCHEDULE 3

      Power to Slaughter in Relation to Certain Diseases

      1. Cattle plague

        1. 1.(1) The Minister shall cause to be slaughtered all animals...

      2. Pleuro-pneumonia

        1. 2.(1) The Minister shall cause to be slaughtered all cattle...

      3. Foot-and-mouth disease

        1. 2A.(1) This paragraph applies to any premises which are declared...

        2. 3.(1) The Minister may, if he thinks fit, in any...

      4. Swine-fever

        1. 4.(1) The Minister may, if he thinks fit, in any...

      5. Diseases of poultry

        1. 5.(1) The Minister may, if he thinks fit, cause to...

    5. SCHEDULE 4

      Additional Provisions as to Food and Water at Railway Stations

      1. 1.The food and water, or either of them, provided under...

      2. 2.As regards water, if, in the case of any animal,...

      3. 3.The Ministers may, if they think fit, by order prescribe...

      4. 4.The body supplying food or water under section 38(2) may...

      5. 5.The amount of those additional charges accrued due in respect...

      6. 6.The body concerned shall have a lien for the amount...

    6. SCHEDULE 5

      Consequential Amendments

      1. 1.. . . . . . . . . ....

      2. Food and Drugs Act 1955

        1. 2.In section 100(6) of the Food and Drugs Act 1955...

      3. Food and Drugs (Scotland) Act 1956

        1. 3.In section 36(6) of the Food and Drugs (Scotland) Act...

      4. Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1963

        1. 4.In section 16(3) of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1963...

      5. London Government Act 1963

        1. 5.In section 54(3) of the London Government Act 1963 for...

      6. Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963

        1. 6.In paragraph (b) of the proviso to section 5(1) of...

      7. Agriculture Act I967

        1. 7.In section 13(5) of the Agriculture Act 1967 for “Diseases...

      8. Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968

        1. 8.In section 8(2) of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968—...

      9. Transport Act 1968

        1. 9.In paragraph 7(2)(b) of Schedule 16 to the Transport Act...

      10. Agriculture Act 1970

        1. 10.In section 106(6) of the Agriculture Act 1970 for “Diseases...

      11. Slaughterhouses Act 1974

        1. 11.In the Slaughterhouses Act 1974— (a) in section 20(5) for...

      12. Slaughter of Animals (Scotland) Act 1980

        1. 12.In the Slaughter of Animals (Scotland) Act 1980—

    7. Schedule 6

      Repeals

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