The Animal Gatherings (England) Order 2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order revokes and replaces the Animal Gatherings (England) Order 2003. It changes that Order as follows—

• it provides that the licensee may change the starting time of the 48 hour period of a sale on paved premises, provided that he notifies both the Secretary of State and the local authority and publicises the change (article 9);

• it provides that dedicated slaughter sales and dedicated slaughter collections can only take place on paved premises and cannot be held as part of an animal gathering held for any other purpose (article 10);

• it provides a further exception to the requirement that no vehicle contaminated with animal excreta may be brought on to or taken from the licensed premises and extends the prohibition to include other animal contamination (paragraph 4 of the Schedule).

As before, it requires a licence for animal gatherings (article 5). It specifies that an animal gathering can only take place 27 days after the last animal left those premises and equipment on the premises has been cleaned of visible contamination (article 6). If the gathering takes place in paved premises, article 7 makes provision for the cleansing and disinfection of those premises and enables a gathering to take place inside the normal time limits. It imposes a 48 hour time limit on animal gatherings for the purpose of sale on paved premises and onward consignments on any premises (article 8). It imposes duties on persons attending an animal gathering (article 11 and the Schedule). It imposes restrictions following an animal gathering (article 12).

It is enforced by the local authority (article 13).

Breach of the Order is an offence under section 73 of the Animal Health Act 1981, punishable in accordance with section 75 of that Act.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment has not been prepared for this Order.