The Importation of Animals Order 1977

Provisions relating to the carriage of imported animals to Great Britain

4.—(1) No person shall use, or cause or permit the use of, any vessel, aircraft, vehicle or container for the carriage of animals to Great Britain unless, since it was last used for the carriage of animals or the carcases of animals, those parts of the vessel, aircraft, vehicle or container with which those animals or carcases came or may have come into contact have been effectively cleansed and disinfected.

(2) Subject to paragraph (5) below, where during the carriage of animals to Great Britain—

(a) the master of the vessel or the commander of the aircraft knows or suspects that an animal on board is or may be affected with disease, or

(b) any such animal is injured,

the master or commander shall, immediately on arrival at a port or airport in Great Britain, report the fact, together with any other relevant information connected therewith, to the Divisional Veterinary Officer; and it shall be the duty of the master or commander to ensure that an animal to which subparagraph (a) above applies, and any animal which may have been in contact with it, is not unloaded from the vessel or aircraft except with the written consent of a veterinary inspector.

(3) Subject to paragraph (5) below, where during the carriage of animals to Great Britain an animal dies or is slaughtered, the master of the vessel or the commander of the aircraft shall—

(a) if practicable, retain the carcase of the animal on board the vessel or aircraft;

(b) immediately on arrival at a port or airport in Great Britain, report the death or slaughter of the animal, together with any other relevant information connected therewith, to the Divisional Veterinary Officer; and

(c) ensure that the carcase of the animal is unloaded and disposed of in Great Britain only with the written consent of a veterinary inspector, and in accordance with any directions given by him;

and where the master or commander knows or suspects that an animal to which the foregoing provisions of this paragraph apply was, at the time of its death or slaughter, affected with disease, he shall ensure that any animal which may have been in contact with it, or with its carcase, is unloaded in Great Britain only with the written consent of a veterinary inspector.

(4) Where it is impracticable to retain the carcase of an animal to which paragraph (3) above applies on board the vessel or aircraft, the master or commander shall, immediately on arrival at a port or airport in Great Britain, furnish to the Divisional Veterinary Officer all relevant information concerning the death or slaughter of the animal in question, and the disposal of its carcase.

(5) Where an animal which is affected with disease, or suspected of being so affected, or the carcase of an animal to which paragraph (3) above applies, or an animal which has been in contact with any such animal or the carcase of any such animal, is, throughout the period of its journey to Great Britain by sea or air, confined within a vehicle or container, it shall not be unlawful, notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (2) and (3) above, for the vehicle or container in which the animal or carcase is confined to be unloaded from the vessel or aircraft without the consent of a veterinary inspector; but in any such case, it shall be the duty of the person in charge of the animal or carcase—

(a) to report its presence in the vehicle or container, together with any other relevant information connected therewith, to the Divisional Veterinary Officer either—

(i) immediately after the vehicle or container has been unloaded from the vessel or aircraft, or

(ii) where at the time of such unloading he is unaware of the presence or suspected presence of disease in that animal, or of the presence of that carcase, or, as the case may be, that the animal has been in contact with an animal affected with or suspected of being affected with disease, or with the carcase of such an animal, immediately after he becomes so aware; and

(b) to ensure that the animal or carcase is unloaded from the vehicle or container and (in the case of a carcase) is disposed of only with the written consent of a veterinary inspector, and in accordance with any directions given by him.

(6) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (2), (3) and (5) above, it shall not be unlawful, in case of emergency, to unload an animal or carcase to which any of those paragraphs applies from a vessel, aircraft, vehicle or container without the written consent of a veterinary inspector first having been obtained; but where an animal or carcase is unloaded in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, the person in charge thereof shall immediately report the unloading to a veterinary inspector, and shall comply with any directions given by him.

(7) The carrier of imported animals (other than quarantine animals) shall, as soon as he is in a position to do so, notify the person in charge of the approved reception centre to which those animals are licensed to be moved of the proposed time of landing of those animals, and of their number and description.

(8) The person in charge of approved premises shall, as soon as he is in a position to do so, notify the veterinary inspector having responsibility for the premises of the proposed time of landing of animals licensed to be moved to the premises, and of their number and description.