The Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2002

Statutory Instruments

2002 No. 882

ANIMALS, WALES

The Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2002

Made

27th March 2002

Laid before Parliament

28th March 2002

Coming into force

15th April 2002

The National Assembly for Wales and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, acting jointly in exercise of the powers conferred on them by sections 1, 10 and 24 of the Animal Health Act 1981(1) and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, make the following Order:

Title, application and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2002, applies to Wales, and comes into force on 15th April 2002.

Amendment of the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974

2.—(1) The Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974(2) shall be amended in accordance with this article.

(2) After article 5A there shall be inserted the following article—

“Release from quarantine in Wales

5B.   —If a cat or dog is in quarantine in Wales, the National Assembly for Wales may grant a licence releasing the animal if it is satisfied that—

(a) the animal has been microchipped, vaccinated and blood tested in accordance with the Pet Travel Scheme (Pilot Arrangements) (England) Order 1999;

(b) a sample of blood was taken from the animal at least six months before the release date and tested in accordance with the 1999 Order;

(c) at least twenty four hours before release the animal has been treated by a veterinary surgeon against Echinococcus multilocularis and ticks, using a veterinary medicine with a marketing authorisation in the UK at an appropriate dosage (in the case of treatment against Echinococcus multilocularis the medicine must contain praziquantel as the active ingredient), and in the case of an animal which has been in Cyprus, Malta or one of the countries or territories in Schedule 6 to the 1999 Order the treatment against ticks must contain fipronil as the active ingredient;

(d) the animal has not been outside the countries or territories in Schedules 2 or 6 to the 1999 Order in the six months prior to the release date; and

(e) in the case of an animal from a country or territory in Schedule 6 to the 1999 Order, it arrived in Great Britain in a sealed container with the seal intact. The container must have been sealed by an official authorised by the competent authority of the exporting country, who must have written the number on the seal on the import licence granted by the Minister under article 4(3) and stamped the licence with his official stamp. The number on the seal must be the same as the number on the licence, but if the National Assembly for Wales is satisfied that the animal was not exposed to risk of infection with rabies during its journey, it may release the animal from quarantine if the provisions relating to sealing are not complied with.”

Signed on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales

Rhodri Morgan

First Minister, National Assembly for Wales

26th March 2002

Elliot Morley

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

27th March 2002

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order, which applies to Wales, further amends the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974 (S.I. 1974/2211).

The amendments will allow the National Assembly for Wales to licence the release of animals from quarantine in Wales where such animals comply with the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme (Pilot Arrangements) (England) Order 1999.

(1)

1981 c. 22. See section 86(1) for the definitions of “the Ministers” and “the Minister”. Functions of “the Ministers”, so far as exercisable by the Secretary of State for Scotland in relation to Wales, were transferred to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by the Transfer of Functions (Agriculture and Food) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/3141). The powers of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food were transferred to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by virtue of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Dissolution) Order 2002, S.I. 2002/794. Functions of “the Ministers”, so far as exercisable by the Secretary of State for Wales in relation to Wales, were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales by the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/672)

(2)

S.I. No. 1974/2211, as amended by S.I. No. 1977/361, 1984/1182, 1986/2062, 1990/2371, 1993/1813, 1994/1405, 1994/1716, 1995/2922, 1999/3443, 2000/1298, and 2001/6.