Animal Health Act 1981

35 Seizure and disposal of carcases etc.

(1) The Ministers may by order make such provision—

(a) for the seizure of carcases, fodder, litter, eggs, milk, skim milk, whey, buttermilk, cream or fertilisers, and

(b) for the destruction, burial, disposal or treatment of anything seized under the order,

as they may think expedient for preventing the spread of any disease to which this subsection applies.

(2) Subsection (1) above applies to the diseases in the case of which powers of slaughter are exercisable under this Act, that is to say—

(a) to cattle plague, pleuro-pneumonia, foot-and-mouth disease and swine-fever, and any disease within the meaning of section 32 above to which that section for the time being applies; and

(b) to any disease as defined in relation to poultry by or under section 88 below.

(3) The Ministers may make such orders as they think fit—

(a) for prescribing and regulating the destruction, burial, disposal or treatment of carcases of animals dying while diseased or suspected ;

(b) for prescribing and regulating the destruction, burial or disposal of anything seized under subsection (1);

(c) for prohibiting or regulating the digging up of carcases which have been buried.

(4) A person is guilty of an offence against this Act who, without lawful authority or excuse, proof of which shall lie on him—

(a) throws or places, or causes or suffers to be thrown or placed, into any river, stream, canal, navigation, or other water, or into the sea within 4.8 kilometres of the shore, the carcase of an animal which has died of disease, or been slaughtered as diseased or suspected; or

(b) digs up, or causes to be dug up, a carcase buried under the direction of the Minister or of a local authority or of a receiver of wreck.