Removal or replacement identification for animals identified before 31st December 2009
17.—(1) A person must not remove, unless for the purpose of preventing suffering to an animal, or replace, any means of identification attached to an animal identified before 31st December 2009 otherwise than in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 4(6) of the Council Regulation.
(2) Subject to article 27, where the means of identification of an animal has been removed or lost or has become illegible, the keeper, other than a slaughterhouse operator, must apply replacement identification to the animal in accordance with this Order as soon as possible but, in any event—
(a)before the animal is moved from the holding; and
(b)no later than 28 days after the identification is ascertained to have been removed or lost or to have become illegible.