The Foot-and-Mouth Disease Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Movement of an animal from premises in a surveillance zone

1.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, a person shall not move a susceptible animal from premises within a surveillance zone.

(2) The prohibition in sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to the transport of a susceptible animal for emergency slaughter under the authority of a licence granted by an inspector from premises in a surveillance zone direct to a slaughterhouse—

(a) in the same surveillance zone, or

(b) where there is no slaughterhouse in that surveillance zone, outside the surveillance zone and its associated protection zone.

(3) An inspector shall not grant a licence under sub-paragraph (2) unless he is satisfied that—

(a) an inspector has within the previous 24 hours carried out a clinical examination of every susceptible animal on the premises, and

(b) there is no suspicion of infection or contamination on the premises.

(4) The prohibition in sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to transport of a susceptible animal for slaughter under the authority of a licence granted by an inspector—

(a) direct to a slaughterhouse outside that surveillance zone and its associated protection zone, or

(b) direct to a slaughterhouse in that surveillance zone.

(5) An inspector shall not grant a licence under sub-paragraph (4) unless he is satisfied that—

(a) the records required by paragraph 1 have been maintained in respect of the premises;

(b) a veterinary surgeon has within the previous 24 hours inspected every susceptible animal on the premises and has carried out a clinical examination of a representative sample of such susceptible animals; and

(c) there is no suspicion of infection or contamination on the premises.

(6) An inspector shall not grant a licence under sub-paragraph (4)(a) unless he is also satisfied that—

(a) there is no slaughterhouse within that surveillance zone with sufficient capacity to slaughter the animals; and

(b) the slaughterhouse at which slaughter is to take place is the nearest slaughterhouse outside the surveillance zone and its associated protection zone with such capacity.

(7) A licence granted under sub-paragraph (2) or (4) may permit transport through the associated protection zone and in such case shall include a condition requiring that the vehicle travels through that protection zone without stopping.

(8) The person in charge of any vehicle used to move susceptible animals under the authority of a licence granted under sub-paragraph (2) or (4) shall ensure that it is cleansed and disinfected in accordance regulation 42 and any additional requirements an inspector may by written directions impose.

(9) The prohibition in sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to the leading of susceptible animals to pasture in a surveillance zone under the authority of a licence granted by an inspector.

(10) A inspector shall not grant a licence under sub-paragraph (9) unless—

(a) he is satisfied that a veterinary surgeon has examined all susceptible animals on the premises (including testing of samples) and concluded that there are no animals suspected of being infected or contaminated on the premises; and

(b) at least 15 days have elapsed since the most recent confirmed case of the disease in the associated protection zone; and

(c) the licence contains a term requiring that animals do not come into contact with susceptible animals from other premises.

(11) The prohibition in sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to movement from one part of premises to another part of the same premises using a public highway under the authority of a licence granted by an inspector.