Anthrax (Vaccination) Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2000

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order introduces a Scheme for keeping animals in Northern Ireland free from anthrax and for the control of that disease.

The main provisions of the Scheme are as follows—

(a) paragraph 2 enables an authorised officer (as defined in paragraph 1) to serve a notice on the occupier or person in charge of premises requiring him to arrange for the vaccination or vaccination and treatment of animals kept on the premises;

(b) paragraph 2 further provides that where the requirements of such a notice are not complied with, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development may carry out those requirements and also provides for the recovery by the Department of any expenses reasonably incurred in doing so;

(c) paragraph 3 provides that the owner or person in charge of any animal which has been vaccinated against anthrax shall make a record of the movements of such an animal occurring during the period of one year beginning with the date of vaccination;

(d) paragraph 4 confers powers of entry on an authorised officer for the purpose of carrying out his functions under the Scheme.

Any person who, without lawful authority or excuse, proof of which shall lie on him, contravenes any provision of this Order shall be guilty of an offence against the Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981. The penalty on summary conviction for such an offence is a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (currently £5,000) or in the case of an offence committed in respect of more than 5 animals, a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale (currently £1,000) for each animal.