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

Detention and isolation in quarantine E+W+S

5.—(1) Where an animal specified in Part I of Schedule 1 to this order is landed in Great Britain in accordance with a licence granted under Article 4 above, it shall, after being so landed, be immediately detained and isolated in quarantine at its owner's expense for the rest of its life, at such premises and subject to such conditions as may be specified in the licence; and in the event of such an animal being born in Great Britain (whether or not its parents or any one of them was brought from a place outside Great Britain) it shall, for the purposes of this order, be deemed to be an animal brought from a place outside Great Britain, and the foregoing provisions of this paragraph with regard to detention and isolation in quarantine for life shall apply to that animal.

[F1 (2) Where an animal specified in Part 2 of Schedule 1 is landed in Great Britain in accordance with a licence granted under article 4(3) it must be immediately detained and isolated in quarantine at its owner’s expense at such premises and subject to such conditions as may be specified in the licence.

(2A) But paragraph (2) does not apply to an animal of the order Rodentia or Lagomorpha where the licence states that it is being brought into Great Britain—

(a) for use at research premises in connection with scientific research, or

(b) to an establishment licensed as a zoo under section 1 of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981.

(2B) The period of quarantine required under paragraph (2) is—

(a) in the case of an animal subject to [F2 Article F3 ... 10] of the Pets Regulation, the period ending with the Pets Regulation quarantine end date,

(b) in any other case, subject to paragraph (2C), four months.

(2C) The Secretary of State (in England), the Scottish Ministers (in Scotland) or the Welsh Ministers (in Wales) may authorise release of an animal which is not subject to [F4 Article F5 ... 10] of the Pets Regulation from quarantine or waive its period of quarantine if satisfied that such release will present negligible risk of the introduction of rabies into or spread of rabies within Great Britain.

(2D) Any offspring born to an animal during its quarantine must be kept in quarantine for the remainder of the period of the dam’s quarantine, unless the release of either animal is authorised under paragraph (2C).]

(3) The Minister may by licence permit two or more animals required to be detained under the foregoing provisions of this Article to be kept together in quarantine, subject to such conditions as may be specified in the licence:

Provided that, where the licence is granted in respect of two or more animals to which paragraph (2) above applies, the period of quarantine [F6 referred to in paragraph (2B) shall, unless the animals are subject to [F7 Article F8 ... 10] of the Pets Regulation or the Minister] otherwise directs, be computed in respect of all the animals to which the licence relates by reference to the latest date on which any such animal was landed in Great Britain.

(4) Where the Minister is satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist, he may by licence permit other animals to be kept with animals being detained in quarantine under the foregoing provisions of this Article, subject to compliance with such conditions as may be specified in the licence; and where an animal to which such a licence relates has been in contact with an animal detained under the foregoing provisions of this Article, it shall remain in quarantine at its owner's expense for the remainder of the period applying in respect of the animal with which it has been in contact, or for such shorter period as the Minister may in any particular case direct, and shall be treated for the purposes of this order as an animal which has been brought to Great Britain from a place outside Great Britain.

(5) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article, where an outbreak of rabies occurs at authorised quarantine premises, or where the Minister has reason to suspect that an animal detained or previously detained at such premises may be or may have been affected with that disease, he may (without prejudice to the operation of the provisions of the Rabies Order of 1938(1), or of any order amending, extending or replacing that order), by notice in writing served on the veterinary surgeon or registered medical practitioner supervising the premises, and (where practicable) on the owner of any animal detained thereat, require that any such animal be detained and isolated at its owner's expense for such longer period as may be specified in the notice, and subject to such conditions as may be so specified.

Textual Amendments

F1 Art. 5(2)-(2D) substituted for art. 5(2)(2A) (1.1.2012) by The Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2883), art. 1(3), Sch. para. 7(a) (with art. 19)

F2 Words in art. 5(2B)(a) substituted (29.12.2014) by The Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals (Amendment) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3158), art. 1(3), Sch. para. 4

F3 Words in art. 5(2B) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Animals, Aquatic Animal Health, Invasive Alien Species, Plant Propagating Material and Seeds (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1388), regs. 1(2)(c), 35(4)(a)

F4 Words in art. 5(2C) substituted (29.12.2014) by The Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals (Amendment) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3158), art. 1(3), Sch. para. 4

F5 Words in art. 5(2C) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Animals, Aquatic Animal Health, Invasive Alien Species, Plant Propagating Material and Seeds (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1388), regs. 1(2)(c), 35(4)(a)

F6 Words in art. 5(3) substituted (1.1.2012) by The Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2883), art. 1(3), Sch. para. 7(b) (with art. 19)

F7 Words in art. 5(3) substituted (29.12.2014) by The Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals (Amendment) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/3158), art. 1(3), Sch. para. 4

F8 Words in art. 5(3) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Animals, Aquatic Animal Health, Invasive Alien Species, Plant Propagating Material and Seeds (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1388), regs. 1(2)(c), 35(4)(a)

Commencement Information

I1 Art. 5 in force at 5.2.1975, see art. 1

(1)

(Rev. II p. 578: 1938 I, p. 206).