The Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974

Interpretation

2.—(1) In this order, unless the context otherwise requires—

“the Act” means the Diseases of Animals Act 1950, as amended or extended by any subsequent enactment;

“animal” means an animal (other than man) belonging to any of the orders of mammals specified in Part I and Part II of Schedule 1 to this order;

“authorised carrying agent” means a person authorised by the Minister under Article 10 of this order to carry animals;

“authorised quarantine premises” means premises authorised by the Minister under Article 9 of this order for use for the detention and isolation of animals in quarantine;

“cat” means an animal belonging to the species Felis catus of the order of mammals Carnivora;

“contact animal” means an animal belonging to any of the orders of mammals specified in Part III of Schedule 1 to this order;

“dog” means an animal belonging to the species Canis familiaris of the order of mammals Carnivora;

“harbour” has the meaning assigned to it by section 742 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1894, and shall also include any place at which hovercraft are loaded or unloaded;

“inspector” means a person appointed to be an inspector for the purposes of the Act by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or by a local authority, and, when used in relation to an inspector of the said Minister, includes a veterinary inspector;

“licence” means a licence granted under this order, and includes any permit, approval or other form of authorisation;

“master” means the person having the charge or control of a vessel;

“the Minister” and “the Ministry” mean respectively, in the application of this order to England and Wales, the Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and, in its corresponding application to Scotland, the Secretary of State and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland;

“police constable” includes any member of a police force employed by a railway, dock, harbour, port or airport authority;

“registered medical practitioner” means a person included in the Medical Register maintained by the General Medical Council;

“research premises” means premises at which animals which have been brought to Great Britain from a place outside Great Britain are used in connection with scientific research;

“veterinary inspector” means a veterinary inspector appointed by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food;

“veterinary surgeon” means a veterinary surgeon entered in a register maintained under section 2 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.

(2) For the purposes of this order, an animal shall be deemed to have been landed in Great Britain immediately it is unloaded or taken out of, or in any other manner leaves or escapes from, a vessel or aircraft, and “land” and “landing” shall be construed accordingly:

Provided that this paragraph shall not apply in respect of an animal which is, under the authority of an inspector, transported by water directly from one vessel to another, without the boat in which the animal is carried touching land, or the animal being put on land.

(3) The Animals (Importation) Order of 1930(1) shall not apply to animals brought to Great Britain under this order.

(4) The Interpretation Act 1889 applies to the interpretation of this order as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of Parliament, and as if this order and the orders hereby revoked were Acts of Parliament.

(1)

(Rev. II, p. 331: 1930, p. 52).