The Importation of Animals Order 1977

Provisions relating to the movement of imported animals after unloading at a port or airport

8.—(1) When imported animals have been unloaded from the vessel or aircraft which brought them to Great Britain, it shall be the duty of the person in charge of those animals to ensure that—

(a) subject to paragraph (3) below, they are moved as soon as practicable, by the most appropriate route, to approved premises specified in the import licence relating to those animals;

(b) where the approved premises are not at the port or airport, they are conveyed thereto by motorised transport only; and

(c) they do not, whilst at the port or airport, or during the journey to the approved premises, come into contact with any other animals.

(2) Without prejudice to paragraph (1) above, it shall also be the duty of the person in charge of quarantine animals to which that paragraph applies to ensure that—

(a) they are moved to the approved quarantine premises only under the supervision of, and in accordance with any directions given by, a veterinary inspector;

(b) the vehicle used for the carriage of the animals to the approved quarantine premises is one from which there will be no leakage of liquid matter, or escape of waste feedingstuffs or animal droppings;

(c) in carrying out the cleansing and disinfection of any such vehicle (as required under the provisions of Article 15 of the Transit of Animals (Road and Rail) Order 1975(1), or by virtue of a notice served under Article 16 thereof), all litter, dung and other excreta, and all other waster material removed from the vehicle, is disposed of in accordance with any directions which may be given by a veterinary inspector; and

(d) no person, other than a person authorised by a veterinary inspector, is permitted to come into contact with the animals.

(3) If it appears to a veterinary inspector that imported animals unloaded at a port or airport should not, by reason of the presence or suspected presence of disease in any part of Great Britain, or because of any other exceptions circumstances, be moved to approved premises specified in the import licence relating to those animals, he may, by notice in writing served on the person in charge of those animals, require them to be moved in accordance with the notice to such other premises as may be specified therein; and the animals shall be detained at those premises for such period and subject to such conditions as may be so specified.

(1)

(1975 II, p. 3540).