Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

Imports

6.—(1) A person shall not import from a member State (either for entry into the UK or by way of transition to another member State) –

(a) any animal; or

(b) any animal product,

subject to an instrument listed in Part I of Schedule 2 unless it complies with the relevant provisions of that instrument(subject to any derogations specified in that part) and with any additional requirements specified in that Part.

(2) Where an animal or animal product subject to an instrument listed in Part I of Schedule 2 is imported from another member State (either for entry into the UK or by way of transition to another member State), the importer, or the person in charge of the animal or animal product, if not the importer, shall comply with the relevant provisions of that instrument until it arrives at its place of destination or leaves Northern Ireland, as the case may be.

(3) Where an animal is imported for slaughter from another member State, the importer, his representative, or the person appearing to be in charge of the animal shall ensure it is slaughtered within the specified period.

(4) Where an animal imported from another member State for slaughter is consigned to an assembly centre, the importer, or the person in charge of the animal, if not the importer, shall ensure that the animal is removed from the assembly centre directly to a slaughterhouse and that the animal is slaughtered there –

(a) within 5 days of its arrival at the assembly centre, in the case of sheep and goats; and

(b) within 3 days of its arrival at the assembly centre, in the case of cattle and pigs.

(5) If any animal referred to in paragraph (4) is not slaughtered within the period required by that paragraph, an inspector may by notice served on the importer, his representative, or the person appearing to him to be in charge of the animal require it to be slaughtered within such time and at such place as may be specified in the notice.

(6) Where an animal is imported from another member State for slaughter, other than an animal taken to an assembly centre, it must be taken directly and without undue delay to a slaughterhouse, and if it is not taken directly and without undue delay to a slaughterhouse, an inspector may, by notice served on the person appearing to him to be in charge of the animal, require the animal to be taken to such slaughterhouse as may be specified in the notice.

(7) In the event of a notice served under paragraph (5) or (6) not being complied with an inspector may seize or cause to be seized any animal to which that notice relates and arrange for the requirements of the notice to be complied with.

(8) In this regulation “animal” shall mean cattle, pigs, sheep and goats.