United Kingdom Statutory Instruments

"animals" means cattle (excluding bison and yak), deer, goats, sheep and pigs;

"animal area" has the meaning given in article 5(2)(c);

"animal gathering" means an occasion at which animals are brought together for one or more of the following purposes - 

(a) a sale, show or exhibition;

(b) onward consignment within Great Britain;

(c) inspection to confirm the animals possess specific breed characteristics;

(a) ensure that animals are unloaded and re-loaded in the animal area, and

(b) ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that animals do not leave the animal area except on a vehicle.

    (4) In the case of an animal gathering to which the time limits in articles 8 and 9 apply, the licensee shall ensure that - 

(a) no animal is brought on to the premises before the start of the animal gathering; and

(b) every animal is removed from the premises by the end of the animal gathering.

Duties on persons attending the animal gathering
     2.  - (1) No person shall enter licensed premises wearing outer clothing visibly contaminated with animal excreta or other contaminant derived from animals.

    (2) If a person in the animal area is wearing outer clothing visibly contaminated with animal excreta or any other contaminant derived from animals, on leaving the animal area he shall immediately clean his clothing of gross contamination (unless the clothing is to be disposed of) and either - 

(a) disinfect it;

(b) change into clean clothing;

(c) dispose of it; or

(d) leave the licensed premises.

    (3) If a person outside the animal area is wearing outer clothing visibly contaminated with animal excreta or any other contaminant derived from animals, an inspector may serve on him a notice giving him the option of immediately - 

(a) cleaning his outer clothing,

(b) changing into clean clothing,

(c) disposing of disposable clothing, or

(d) leaving the licensed premises.

Footwear in the animal area
     3. Any person leaving the animal area must cleanse and disinfect his footwear in the footbath provided.

Vehicles
     4.  - (1) No person shall bring on to or take from the licensed premises any vehicle or equipment carried with that vehicle that is visibly contaminated with animal excreta or any other contaminant derived from animals.

    (2) This paragraph shall not apply to any vehicle or equipment carried with that vehicle coming on to the licensed premises - 

(a) if the excreta or other contaminant is only from animals being carried on the vehicle at the time it is brought on to the licensed premises; or

(b) solely for cleansing and disinfection, if taken directly to the cleansing and disinfection facilities immediately upon arrival.

    (3) This paragraph shall not apply to any vehicle or equipment carried with that vehicle leaving the licensed premises - 

(a) if the excreta or other contaminant is only from animals which have been unloaded from the vehicle on the licensed premises; or

(b) if the excreta or other contaminant is only from animals which were loaded on to the vehicle on the licensed premises.

• it provides that the licensee may change the starting time of the 48 hour period of a sale on paved premises, provided that he notifies both the Secretary of State and the local authority and publicises the change (article 9);

• it provides that dedicated slaughter sales and dedicated slaughter collections can only take place on paved premises and cannot be held as part of an animal gathering held for any other purpose (article 10);

• it provides a further exception to the requirement that no vehicle contaminated with animal excreta may be brought on to or taken from the licensed premises and extends the prohibition to include other animal contamination (paragraph 4 of the Schedule).

As before, it requires a licence for animal gatherings (article 5). It specifies that an animal gathering can only take place 27 days after the last animal left those premises and equipment on the premises has been cleaned of visible contamination (article 6). If the gathering takes place in paved premises, article 7 makes provision for the cleansing and disinfection of those premises and enables a gathering to take place inside the normal time limits. It imposes a 48 hour time limit on animal gatherings for the purpose of sale on paved premises and onward consignments on any premises (article 8). It imposes duties on persons attending an animal gathering (article 11 and the Schedule). It imposes restrictions following an animal gathering (article 12).

It is enforced by the local authority (article 13).

Breach of the Order is an offence under section 73 of the Animal Health Act 1981, punishable in accordance with section 75 of that Act.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment has not been prepared for this Order.