Measures following suspicion – contact premisesN.I.
10.—(1) This regulation applies where contact premises are designated as suspect premises.
(2) If any horse on the premises shows clinical signs of African horse sickness virus during the relevant period, a veterinary inspector—
(a)shall take samples from it and have them tested; and
(b)may take samples from any other horse or carcase on the premises and have them tested.
(3) If no horse on the premises shows clinical signs of African horse sickness, a veterinary inspector—
(a)shall monitor as appropriate all horses on the premises until the end of the relevant period; and
(b)may take samples from any horse or carcase on the premises and have them tested.
(4) If no horse on the premises has shown clinical signs of African horse sickness at any time during the relevant period and the Department is satisfied following any tests under this regulation that it is no longer appropriate for the premises to remain designated as suspect premises, a veterinary inspector shall revoke the notice served under regulation 8(2).
(5) Where that notice is revoked, the measures in Schedule 1 cease to have an effect, except for the purposes of paragraph 1(4)(a) of that Schedule.
(6) Paragraph (7) applies where the Department is satisfied as a result of—
(a)any test carried out under this regulation;
(b)any clinical signs in any horse on the premises; or
(c)any epidemiological connection to infected premises,
that African horse sickness virus is present in a horse or carcase or on the premises.
(7) Where this paragraph applies, a veterinary inspector shall serve a notice on the occupier declaring the premises to be infected premises(1).
(8) Where a notice has been served under paragraph (7), the measures in Schedule 1 continue to have effect.
(9) The notice served under paragraph (7) may require the occupier to erect and maintain such signs on the premises as may be required by a veterinary inspector.
(10) If the Department considers it necessary to reduce the risk of spread of African horse sickness virus, the notice may require measures additional to those in Schedule 1 and paragraph (9).
(11) In this regulation, “the relevant period” is the period determined by the Department to be necessary for establishing whether or not African horse sickness is present in a horse or carcase on the premises.
See also the power of the Department under regulation 17 to declare a control zone, protection zone and surveillance zone.